


When Paths Cross

by PupsIsMyDog



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: AU, Action, Deaf Spy, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Physical Disability
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 31,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25947649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PupsIsMyDog/pseuds/PupsIsMyDog
Summary: Mann Co. Mercenary Parks welcomes people of all nationalities and levels to challenge tradition through ruthless fights, risky science, and dangerous games. Those who are hated or misunderstood offer up their skills to entertain the world. Some praise the company's love for shameless advancement while others want to see its unorthodox ways burn to the ground.Caught in the middle of Mann Co's love-hate relationship with society are the mercenaries who work at the company. Among the ranks are Mundy, Wahnsinn, Milleur, and their newest member, Fleur the Deaf Spy. He finds a home in Mann Co. and will defend it until its dying day.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	1. Life Paths

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU (and the first AU I've ever invested in) that I've had in mind for a long time and I'm so glad to bring it to you all! I'm unsure when it will be completed, but I have a lot of content planned for it. I have updated some of the earlier chapters, and I hope you stick for the ride! 
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy the story!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please keep in mind that the story starts off a bit slow, but I have improved as it goes. I really hope you can be patient with me and stick until the end! There are many surprises to come!

It's amazing how life paths are paved. How quickly they can turn, and the unpredictable ways they go. Even more amazing is how specific turns and dives are imperfectly perfect to make two unrelated paths cross. Then how those paths travel together, or branch off, or even reconnect years later never fails to dazzle the minds of men.

There are places that specialize in bringing these stray paths together. Sometimes they’re churches, libraries, community centers, bars, parks, the list goes on. Work is perhaps the most effective, and there is no place that knows more about making the most unexpected and far-fetched paths cross than Mann Co. Mercenary Parks. More international than football and more diverse than soccer, Mann Co. rounds up the strongest and strangest people from across the world and gives them a safe space to compete in gory battles and other unorthodox events.

Their numerous grounds spread over the globe, equipped with state-of-the-art respawn tech that eliminate all fears of death. They truly push the limits of what a sport can be and what people can achieve. They break ground in humanity and technology that other people are too afraid to touch. Crazy and radical are words they embrace. Though not just anyone can get into their private ranks. Only their intuitive recruiter is allowed to bring new life to the system, and she's the one that makes sure only the most obscure of life paths are brought together.

This story began in two places: Augsburg, Germany, and Mont-Louis, France.

Augsburg was quite a busy place, though maybe not as busy as others. People came and went like any other town. But few left without hearing about Wahnsinn. He had been considered crazy since he was a young child and tried to experiment with the family dog. His parents always pushed him to different interests, yet he always came back around to biology and the manipulation of it. The hours he spent in science books and the wild ideas he would conceive in the night earned him his name, which literally meant "insane". Despite his radical ideas, there had been no doubt that he was an extremely clever man. He was the kind that could become the next Einstein or Copernicus.

Colleges all over Germany, and even outside the country, fought for his attendance. Yet in the end he settled for a humble University that specialized in his interest. It didn't take long for him to gain respect and start sharing his own ideas. He began inspiring others to conduct their own experiments and play with the laws of life. He promoted discovery over safety, scientific breakthrough above moral code. It took no time at all for the German government to realize his danger and ban him from the country. Before they could remove him, however, his life path had made a crucial cross with another.

In the minuscule city of Mont-Louis, France, with a population less than 300, a boy was born with Deaf ears. He couldn't communicate well with the other kids. His parents worked hard to help him read and write French. Unable to operate well in a public school, his parents took it upon themselves to minister most of his education. In his free time he played with the local kids. Some of them refused to play with him due to the communication barriers. The couple friends he almost had were pulled away by their parent's command. The boy often partook in risky behaviors such as wandering aimlessly in the nearby forest, trespassing on property, and testing the boundaries of laws. He spent his days mostly alone, playing in the world of his own imagination. Suddenly houses became mountains, adults were heavy-footed trolls with hoarded goods, and other children were wild animals that would never understand him.

Only the flowers in the field brightened up his life, leading him to call himself "Fleur" in their honor. When all the kids ignored him, the adults waved their angry hands and wore their sour faces, or the wild animals ran away, the flowers did not. They stood tall and bright no matter what, greeting him with their colorful petals every morning. He could have stolen food to get through the day, taken toys from others for his own amusement, or been a nuisance to all the neighbors and the flowers would still wave in the wind at his arrival.

As soon as he was of legal age, small offenses became serious trouble with the law. The only options were to live under heavy surveillance or leave. From there he trudged from city to city, unable to find a place to stay. Getting a job was difficult without proper education. Not to mention that everyone who had come and gone from Mont-Louis had something to say about the boy who tried to take their purses or sneak into their cars. His name had become quite infamous throughout the area. Eventually he made way across borders until he came to Germany. Along his travels he saw a man standing outside the local university. He spoke zealously about biological breakthroughs and strange theories. Fleur came close to look at all the man's work. The table and bulletins were filled to the brim with scientific research and images. His spun at how much one man could accomplish. Others walked away with disgusted looks, seeming to find this man and his discoveries worth as much as their kitchen trash. Fleur stayed when everyone else left. Even if he couldn't understand a word this man said, the energy and passion poured into the work kept his interest. At the end of the presentation, this man named Wahnsinn approached Fleur. He didn't leave or get angry at their communication barrier. If anything, he was fascinated to know how someone without hearing experienced the world. They spent more and more time together, slowly learning how to understand one another and embrace their differences.

Wahnsinn introduced Fleur to the local Deaf community. As time passed, they learned his story and helped get him back on his feet. Every day Fleur would meet up with Wahsinn and use the new words he learned until both of them could communicate with ease. The two formed a tight bond that they never thought possible. For the first time, they both felt understood and appreciated for who they were. But while Fleur pursued an education and found a place in society that welcomed him, his best friend was ripped away from the nation-- a turn that forced their paths apart. With Wahnsinn silenced or kicked out of every country he stepped foot in, and Fleur with no other place to call home, their hearts were burdened with the fact that they would never meet up again. Yet this was not the end.

Mann Co. sought out the strange mind that Wahnsinn possessed. They welcomed his arcane ideas, and never once were disappointed by what they allowed into their facility. Years passed and he had made all kinds of advancements for the Blu team of Mann Co. He never made a huge impression on the battlefield, but he was irreplaceable in the development of new technology. Blu team always managed to have an upper hand in the Mann Co. Leagues.

One day the recruiter approached him. "What keeps you going?" She asked.

"I don't know! It's the thrill of the unknown that keeps me looking. Not knowing what you'll discover, and not knowing who you'll meet!" replied an energetic Wahnsinn.

She hummed. "Was there anyone you met before coming here that made a particular impression?"

Wahnsinn paused. "As a matter of fact, there was."

And the recruiter made sure those paths crossed again very soon.


	2. Meet the Deaf Spy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleur is introduced to the team.

Mann Co's major leagues contained two factions, Red and Blu. They existed at an eternal standstill. The two teams battled constantly and yet one team could not exert dominance over the other. It was this constant tension that kept them both pulling out their best cards and dishing their hardest blows. Blu would gain an advantage, then it wasn't too long before Red caught back up stronger and smarter than before. The one factor that always changed about the two sides were their team members. Veterans either left or their lives tragically ended during off-site work. New recruits likewise always came climbing into the ranks. Among their newest members stood one personally recommended by the team's most respected Medic. He was a man who had spared his time when others wouldn't, and who would challenge the way things had always been done.

A Sniper named Mundy waited in the spawn room of 2fort. He would be the new recruit's overseer. Blue team's best Spy, Milleur, was also there to welcome a member of his class. Tension hung in the air as they awaited the arrival. Eventually their Medic came through the door. Wahnsinn motioned for his friend to follow. "His name is Fleur. He's Deaf," he explained.

"Deaf?" Mundy asked. He turned to Fleur. "Can you read my lips, Spook?"

The Deaf Spy squinted his eyes and tried hard to understand. Wahnsinn sighed. "He knows quite a few languages, but his English is really weak right now. I'm afraid he doesn't know what we're saying,"

Milleur briskly made way to Fleur's side and snapped his fingers near the man's ear. When it got no reaction, his head swung back in laughter. Then he pulled Fleur's head over, forcing their faces to meet. "You are an embarrassment to spies everywhere! Maybe you at least understood that!" He walked out with that same smile, as if this whole thing was a joke.

"Stupid bloody spies..." Mundy mumbled. Wahnsinn also shared the same feelings toward their haughty and unfortunately high skilled warrior.

The Medic sighed a bit to himself. "Well, I do need to tell you a few things about him before I let you two go." he shuffled his weight from one side to the other absentmindedly, "Fleur has never been in a formal fight before. He's watched the Mann Co. Games on TV, but that's all his experience. Also please try to be as encouraging as you can while teaching him how to fight."

"So the buggars' never been in a fight before?" Mundy's surprised face glanced over at the Spy watching them intently. He offered Fleur a warm smile and gently put a hand on his back. "No need to be nervous. I'll show you how it's done." he said. They turned together to head out the door. Before the two got too far, Wahnsinn grabbed Mundy's attention again.

"Remember to keep a close eye on him," he ordered with a wagging finger, "I don't want to risk him getting hurt. No drinks either."

"Are you his ma?"

"I might as well be.”

Mundy chuckled and assured the Medic that everything would be alright. As he walked, Fleur trailed along at his side. They paused only for a moment as the Spy looked back to Wahnsinn. He got a thumbs up to let him know it was safe to go, and the two were off.

The Sniper showed the fresh mercenary around the base. It wasn't long before they finished exploring everything from the cafeteria to the training grounds. Their tour ended at the dorms. Most fighters got their own small room that could barely hold a bed and a dresser with space to move around. Only the top player of each class got a room worth calling their own. Even though Mundy wasn't the best Sniper and couldn't afford luxuries, he was happy to announce that his room was only a door over from Fleur's.

Fleur beamed when he found out where his room was! Right now it lay empty except for an old rickety bed. He came here with nothing but himself and a Mann Co. Cap. Though once they went on some missions together, he felt sure of finding things to spice up the place and grow his collection. The man was so ready for action that he was practically bouncing in place.

"I know you wanna get to it, but we gotta sleep first. It's late," Sniper explained, doing his best to communicate. He was pointing at the bed, making sleeping gestures, doing anything he could to make the other understand. It just made Fleur pout and stomp his foot. Mundy chuckled and gently pushed him into his room. They waved goodnight to each other and the night passed silently. Morning would bring some surprises with it.


	3. First Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleur and Mundy go through their first battle together,

Mundy snored lazily on his bed. Mornings were never really his favorite thing, and he often found himself wanting to bask in the sun like an old crocodile when it streamed through his window. On a normal day he might lay there for an hour or so and eventually get up on his own. Those "normal" days were gone, though. Far gone.

A loud knock sounded on his door. It sounded like Heavy beating on it during an emergency. The man shot out of bed, wearing nothing but his kangaroo patterned boxers, and ran to open it. "What's up!? Is there another Red Spy in the base!?" He shouted. Then he realized it was only Fleur standing there in his suit, ready for the battlefield at such an early hour. "Oh it's just you... mornin'. What time is it anyways..." Mundy turned to his clock. "It's bloody 6AM! We don't even have breakfast around here until 8! Go back to bed. Now." He had an angry glare as he pointed Fleur toward his room.

Fleur dug his heels into the ground and hissed at the Sniper. He was making all kinds of frustrated signs that made no sense to Mundy. He grabbed Fleur's hands to silence the childish fussing. "I don't care what you say, we're not going anywhere for another 2 hours. Now go to your room," he pushed the Spy inside his own door and shut it. Rude, maybe, but it would get the point across.

Mundy returned to his bed, rubbing his face with a heavy sigh. Perhaps he hadn't really known what he signed up for when he agreed to be Fleur's caretaker. The Deaf Spy acted just like a stubborn child, and the fact they couldn't communicate properly created a huge issue. Then again, he was the man who wrestled crocs, boxed with kangaroos, broken the necks of venomous adders, and took on other deadly challenges in the wild outback of Australia. A single hearing impaired Frenchman posed no threat in comparison. He knew it just required patience and torment to make it through this trial.

He managed to drift back off to sleep until the official alarm sounded throughout the base. Once it did, he got dressed and headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. The Heavies busied themselves with making food like usual. Several mercenaries already went through the line. Mundy caught sight of Wahnsinn and stood at his side in the line. "How's Fleur done so far?" The Medic asked.

"Ah, he's done alright. We went on our tour around the base yesterday. The bugger learns real quick. But he was beating on my door two hours before the alarm this morning like an angry bear. I told him to go back to his room but he wouldn't listen to me." Mundy replied.

"I thought we established the fact he couldn't listen when you two met," Wahnsinn teased.

Mundy smacked the doctor's head softly. "Ack, shut up. Ya know what I meant! The spooks like a bloody toddler and it's a bit annoying. Why did you even recommend him?"

Wahnsinn chuckled to himself. "Oh, Mundy. He may seem childish, but I assure you that there is a ruthless fighting spirit inside him. It will just take time for it to show. Trust me on that! When have I ever been wrong?"

Mundy was about to say something, but stopped himself. Even after racking his brain for instances, he could not recall a time where Wahnsinn had ever been wrong about someone. "Whatever. I just hope that spirit crawls out sooner rather than later. Any idea where he's at?"

"Nein. Maybe he's still in his room? It's not like he can hear the alarm. I'll get your food if you go check." he said. Mundy felt stupid for not thinking of that. He trotted back to the door next to his and found it unlocked. He opened it to see Fleur laying on his mattress, staring up at the ceiling blankly. He still had his suit on. Even his shoes were still tied. The silly man had been laying there awake for almost two hours!

Mundy motioned for him and he popped out of bed like a jackrabbit. The blank expression quickly replaced with one of overwhelming joy and excitement. Mundy chuckled at Fleur's energy. They went back to the cafeteria and found a seat with Wahnsinn. Fleur seemed happy to see his Medic friend again and signed to the doctor.

The two held a conversation for a good five minutes. Mundy just watched with interest as their silent communication went on. "I didn't know you knew ASL," Mundy commented at the earliest opportunity.

"Well I'm not completely fluent," Wahnsinn had to admit, "but I did spend quite a while with Fleur back in Germany before I was expelled. I know a lot of the signs but my grammar...let's not talk about it," he chuckled. He signed to Fleur what he said, making the Deaf Spy playfully agree. He patted Wahnsinn on the shoulder as if to assure him that he'd understand one day.

"I'd be interested in learnin' it. Maybe I can teach him English and he can teach me sign," Mundy offered. Wahnsinn translated the best he could, and a beaming smile spread across Fleur's face. The man grabbed Mundy's arm as he bounced in his seat. _Really? Really you would? _The excitement in his eyes spoke louder than any audible word. Mundy gave a big nod. "In fact, we can get started this evening after we finish our matches!"__

____

The pair parted ways with Wahnsinn. The Medic often went to difficult matches with the more seasoned mercenaries. Since this was Fleur's first real battle, Mundy wanted him to have a taste in something a bit easier. Turbine was one of the more relaxed maps due to its small size and simple design. Before the round started, Mundy took his fledgling around the map, showing him the ways to get around and where the Engineers liked putting their toys. Eager eyes flickered to his every movement.

____

A ringing bell brought all the fighters back to their respective spawns. Then countdown to match start resounded. The Administrator’s voice vibrated the ground under Fleur's feet as he watched the others. As soon as they barged through the doors, he followed closely behind. The Engies and their pybros went to the right, the Snipers went through the vents, and everyone else marched down the main hall to the action field. As the only Spy on the team, Fleur wasn't quite sure which way to go.

____

Intel already swarmed with flames as the pybros patrolled for unwelcome guests. The Engies had their hands full fighting over metal and waiting nervously for their dispensers to generate more. Fleur went back into spawn and perused through the supply cabinet. His arms soon loaded down with metal stock kits and he stepped his way down to intel. "What are you doing, son?" One Engie asked confusedly.

____

"Ah, he's a newbie," the other Engie poked at Fleur's mercenary badge. "Only a day old. Still smells like it came off the press! Look buddy, we got this under control. They need you over there," she pointed in the direction of the enemy Intel. Fleur followed the invisible path of her finger as he rushed down the hall toward the main room.

____

His eyes were met with wild action. Explosions boomed all in the main room, shaking him every time. Bullets and arrows whizzed by, scouts jumped like grasshoppers across the room. Fleur could only stare in amazement as they all battled, and their fight almost became a dance. Take aim, move to the left two steps, go back once. Everything had a pattern that was connected and reacted off another's in an endless spiral. He was just having a hard time finding out where he belonged in this pattern, when it was his time to enter the dance floor, and what moves to take.

____

He cloaked and ran to the other side, where he disguised himself as a Medic and pressed himself against the wall beside the enemy's main door. A group of them ran by him screaming out battle cries and passing without a thought. His disguise was flawless, solid, effective, and there was no way anyone would ever believe he's a Spy. Beginner mistake. He stood still and paced around the map leisurely, believing there was no way he could be caught with such a perfect disguise.

____

A light tap came on his shoulder. An enemy Heavy towered over him and yelled something. Then out of nowhere he was punched with an iron fist. His lifeless body flew across the map like a ragdoll, but Fleur's soul was in a sort of void. It was neither hot nor cold there. He simply floated in black nothingness all alone. No sound, no sight, no touch or reassurance of any kind. Not even hugging himself seemed to provide comfort. It's as if the only thing that existed here was his mind with no body to have life inside. Suddenly he reappeared in his spawn room like normal. Light returned, the distant rumble of explosions tickled his feet, and he could feel again.

____

All he could do was stand there shaking. Eventually he felt firm hands on his shoulders. Fearful eyes turned up to focus on Mundy's familiar face. "You okay?" The man asked. Fleur immediately went into a hug, squeezing the Sniper tightly as if he was going to lose him. Mundy chuckled as he patted his friend's head. "You're more like a child by the second. I know respawning can be scary, but you'll always come back and I'll be waiting on ya," he knew that Fleur couldn't understand him yet, but he hoped that just saying the words, or taking the time to say anything at all, would be some kind of encouragement.

____

Their embrace ended and Mundy gave him another pat on the back. He went running back to battle, this time with a little tag tail. Fleur stayed behind Mundy as he went to his perch. Then the little French onlooker stared as he brought up his rifle and shot an opposing Demoman. It took a while for him to notice that the quiet spook hadn't moved. "You don't do any good up here. Go over there," Mundy whispered and motioned for Fleur to go to enemy Intel. The Spy knew he was more useful over there sapping the Engies' gear and sneaking up on high priority targets. Yet he still insisted on staying up here with Mundy where he would be safe and receive no points or experience.

____

Mundy sighed and retreated back into the vents. "What's wrong?" He asked, "I thought you were excited to go fight!" The Sniper made all the signals he could to help the other understand. Fleur only took a deep breath and turned his eyes to the side. Mundy noticed that he hugged his own arms and seemed to cower in the corner. "This isn't the time to be scared! You gotta go out there and kick Red team in the behind!" The Sniper yelled as he pointed a finger to the enemy base. He even shoved Fleur in that direction, only to have those shaking gloved hands grab tightly to his vest.

____

Realization hit Mundy like a bullet. "You're afraid of respawn, aren't you?" He asked. It only seemed right. Fleur had never experienced respawning before. It must have been terrifying to be in that void alone, without being able to hear, see, or feel a thing. He rubbed the man's back gently to let him know it would be alright, then turned up his head. A warm hand covered Fleur's eyes to represent the darkness, then pulled away to reveal Mundy's smiling face. "Don't be afraid. I'll be there for ya, 'kay?" He said. Fleur didn't understand the words, yet the meaning still came across clearly. He nodded his head and went for the enemy base with knife in hand.

____

Needless to say, Fleur had spent much more time in that black void than he would have liked during that battle. He didn't contribute too much either. Not a single building got sapped, and his only kills came from finishing off already weakened enemies. Even at that, he never stopped charging into the fight with fresh strength. The darkness of respawn became less and less frightening as he was reassured with Mundy's smile on the other side. They didn't walk out of that battle with victory or the most points. They didn't even come out unscathed. However, they walked away with a wealth of experience and a strengthened bond, both of which lasted longer than any physical reward one could ever earn.

____


	4. Overseer's Shortcomings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mundy is supposed to keep an eye on Fleur and help him learn English, but he fails miserably at his duties.

After a few more rounds, Mundy called quits for a while. His daily contract barely got finished, and both him and Fleur were feeling the pains of a losing streak. He devoted most of his attention to protecting his underling, which distracted him from the goal. Fleur, on the other hand, had very little experience in the art of battle. He learned to be very elusive and crafty with escaping dangers in the outside world, but running away by itself doesn't win missions or earn points.

They creaked out of their last battle with sore backs and pounding heads. Mundy had gotten at least 30 bullets through his skull, and Fleur's back endured nearly 40 acts of arson. The two settled down at their base and went to the bar for a rest. Demomen liked to hang around that place. They were always enjoyable company, though not always the best influences.

They swung their drunk arms around Mundy and Fleur's shoulders. "Ya know what I did this mornin'?" One of the Demomen mumbled on.

Mundy rolled his eyes. "What?"

"I threw me clock out the window and I got to see time fly!" All the Demomen laughed, and it even got a chuckle out of the others sitting there. The man put his other arm around Fleur. "What about you, laddie? What did ya do with yer wakin' hours?"

Fleur just looked at him confusedly. Mundy took advantage of the silence to answer for his friend. "He was dancing on my bloody door two hours before the alarm. Then he laid in his bed fully dressed until breakfast!"

Another round of laughter went around. "A lively battle-starvin' lad! That's what me eye likes to see!" Demoman patted the Spy on the back and they all sat down in a row at the bar. Fleur still understood the same as a baby, but he found enjoyment in their energy. But of course no Demoman is complete without his whiskey, and they were all encouraging the newcomers to have a drink. The Demo scooted a mug of ale in front of Fleur. "Try a swig of that, laddie!"

Fleur looked at the mug and smelled what was inside. If nothing else, curiosity drove him to touch it to his lips. Before he could down it, Mundy quickly stole the mug away. "You ain't getting any of this, Spook. Wahnsinn told me not to let ya drink...you've never had any before and the last thing ya need is a hangover!"

The Demomen roared with laughter again so that Fleur could feel their voices vibrating his chest. "Ya sound like the man's mother! Come on and let the laddie have a swig!" Demo encouraged. Mundy was unmoved by this cheerful attitude. The two fussed at each other for a minute or two. Fleur just drank his water, glad to not be able to hear what they were saying. His eyes wandered to the other Demomen though, and he watched as they downed their mugs of alcohol like cream sodas. Even if he never drank as avidly as these Scotsmen, he wanted to experience it at least once. What it was like to partake in a little drinking party where everyone told jokes and bonded over their ales.

It didn't take long for him to leave the bar. Mundy couldn't call for his attention, so he ran after him in a rush. "Where ya going!?" Mundy yelled as he grabbed Fleur's arm. The man looked back with very unenthusiastic eyes. Mundy wanted to ask what was wrong, but their language barrier held him back like prison chains. The two just stared at each other silently as if the contest would somehow allow them to read each other's mind.

Fleur was the first to break away. His feet paced quickly, just short of a jogging speed. Mundy had no choice but to follow his lead. In no time at all he found himself standing in front of Wahnsinn's lab. Fleur checked the door and peeked in the window, but all of it was locked and darkened from view. "Oh...so that's what you wanted..." Mundy mused on. He looked around a bit too, not finding any lights on or sounds inside the lab. "He's probably out at a battle, lil' Spook. He'll be back soon, 'kay?" The man ruffled Fleur's cap, but that didn't seem to help at all.

Fleur went running off somewhere else, forcing Mundy to keep up. They visited the cafeteria, the dorms, then the lab again with no sign of the Medic. Before he could make another round, Mundy put an end to his journey. "Wahnsinn is busy right now and we have to wait for him to get back!" His voice raised in hopes that it might somehow reach Fleur's ears. It did not. The Spy pushed his way out of Mundy's arms and went off again.

The Sniper growled in frustration. This was worse than dealing with his nephews and nieces! He grabbed Fleur once again and smacked him harshly on the cheek. "What part of 'wait for him to come back' doesn't make sense to you!?" He yelled as he grabbed up Fleur by the collar. The Spy panicked and fought his way out, then cloaked away from sight. A raging Australian hunted the halls of the base for him with no luck. As the rage died down, sense returned. Realization hit his heart like Scout's baseball bat. He quickly ran all about base muttering "bugger" under his breath like a chant that would give him supernatural strength.

When he checked everywhere at least twice, and asked all the people he came across, Fleur still could not be found. He held his head, panting like a dog and worrying more than an old nanny. He managed to lose the one thing he was supposed to keep a close eye on. This nervous wreck of a man waited at the battle teleporters for Wahnsinn to come back from his current fight. The Medic was his best bet for fixing this issue.

After almost 20 minutes, the prized Medic walked out of the teleporter. His body almost bent to the floor, yet there was somehow a triumphant aura around him. "H-How was it?" Mundy asked, failing to hide his nerves.

Wahnsinn finally straightened up his back. "Dustbowl defense. We won but it was no walk in the park, I'll tell you that. Winning that should really be an achievement," he squeaked his way out to a bench and sat down harshly. Mundy followed behind with tiptoed steps. "How'd your battles go?"

"Oh! Ah...they went great, actually! We didn't really win but it was for the experience! Uh...yeah..." Mundy trailed off.

Wahnsinn stared at him blankly. "Where's Fleur? Did something happen?"

"Oi! Right! About that--" Mundy tapped his twitchy fingers. Wahnsinn's deadpan gaze did nothing to ease the pressure. "Well uh...when we got back he kept looking for you and I told him to wait, but he wouldn't listen. And I may have...lost my temper a little,"

Wahnsinn's face never changed. "What did you do?"

"Well I...may have raised my voice and uh...tried to smack some sense into the lil' roo..." Mundy replied nervously. He stiffened up in anticipation of a harsh reprimand from the Medic. All he got were a few slow blinks and an intense judgemental stare. Wahnsinn slowly rose from his seat.

The man stood there like a silent atomic bomb. Tension was thick in the air. "You had one job, Mundy,"

The Aussie almost crushed under the intimidation. "I...I know,"

"You know he doesn't understand you that well. And he's not one of those Australian kids who snuggle baby crocodiles when they go to bed,"

"I-I know...I'm just used to being able to yell or fight and get the wild ones to listen,"

"Well he doesn't listen. So shut up and let me clean your filthy mess," Wahnsinn backed up but his aura never changed. He seemed to know exactly where to go and went headstrong on reaching it. Soon they stood together in front of a supply closet door.

"How do you know he's in there?" Mundy opened his arms, "he could be anywhere in this base! We should split up to find him. Or maybe get some Pyros to run a Spycheck--" but before he continued, Wahnsinn was already in the closet comforting a scared Fleur. The Spy popped to his feet and hugged his friend immediately. The hug was short lived though, since Wahnsinn wanted to check out the damage dealt by his short tempered friend. Sure enough, a red hand print showed up brightly on Fleur's cheek.

Mundy came close to see if there's anything he could do, but having him approach scared Fleur into pulling his revolver out. Wait, wait! Wahnsinn signed. Fleur flicked his eyes from the Medic to Mundy and back as if expecting another attack. Wahnsinn explained the situation from Mundy's side. About how he was used to being rough and didn't know how else to react. Fleur lowered his gun and seemed to understand that it wouldn't happen again. As for Mundy, he was taught his first ASL sign: _sorry. ___

____

With the situation handled as well as it could be, the three retreated to a private room with a chalkboard on the wall. It had complex equations written over it that Wahnsinn wiped away without a thought. "Alright. So if you're going to be Fleur's caretaker, you have to be able to talk to him. And likewise Fleur needs to understand us. Got it?" The Medic used his voice and his hands to get his message across both ways. Mundy and Fleur seemed to be on the same page.

____

They started with the alphabet and worked on a few words that would be very important in daily conversations. Fleur was picking up on the new words quickly and easily, whereas Mundy required a bit more patience and attention. Despite his frustrations, he stuck to the lesson persistently. They worked nonstop for about three hours. By that time Mundy felt like beating himself with a bushwacka. On the other hand Fleur soaked up every bit of information like a sponge and didn't want the lesson to end. Wahnsinn had more work to do, but he offered a balance between the extremes before heading on his way.

____

"I can give Fleur a book to study for a while. As he's studying, you can rest your mind in here and help him if he has any questions. Alright?" The Medic asked a groggy Mundy.

____

"Alright, alright. Sounds fair enough. I'll make sure he's taken care of," Mundy replied. Wahnsinn made a point to be quick as he fetched the books for Fleur. Since the Spy had studied in Germany for several years, he had become quite good at reading the language. He found a large German-English dictionary shoved into his hands. Wahnsinn also dished him some notebook paper and a few pencils so his study would be complete.

____

Fleur focused on learning the English words and writing the letters. His eagerness to understand his new teammates was more than enough to keep him going. After a while without questions though, Mundy slowly gave in. Having silence except for little pencil scratches here and there lulled the tired crocodile to sleep. Luckily his loud snoring didn't bother the study session one bit.

____

After a while, Fleur put down his pencil to give his wrist a break. That's when he noticed the Sniper's eyes heavy with sleep. His little hands waved in front of Mundy's face. He even poked the slumbering bear a few times. No reaction came. Mundy was down for the count. As interesting as his studies were, Fleur had been working hard for almost three hours. He needed a break and Mundy needed sleep. So he silently slipped out of the study and escaped to the forbidden bar room.

____

Most of the people who were there earlier had left. The one boisterous Demo was still there, however, and of course Mr. Bartender. A few new faces sat at the chairs, and it seemed to be busier than earlier. The later the hour grew, the more mercenaries liked to pile in for their drinks and social interactions. As Fleur looked around, he saw people of all classes having cheerful conversations as they drank. He settled between the Demo and an Engie who were both socializing with the bartender.

____

He studied their lips to see if he could make out words he'd been studying. One or two maybe, but he knew that fluency would take a long time yet. "It's the Deaf man again. Look here sir, anything you want?" The bartender held open a menu. Any and all kinds of ale were available, along with small meals to accompany a drink. Unlike the cafeteria though, these meals cost money. Money that Fleur didn't have and would have a hard time earning at his skill level. *Sorry I have nothing* he tried to say. When he opened an empty wallet, the others understood.

____

"Ah, don't worry bout that!" Demo closed up the wallet and put the menu into Fleur's small gloved hands. "Pick ya something out and I'll pay for it. It's a gift for a newbie!" Once again all Fleur understood was the exuberant energy, but he definitely did take Demo up on the offer. Soon the order was placed, and he sat there in nervous silence.

____

The Engineer at his right gently patted him on the back. "So how's Mann Co. been treatin' ya so far?" He asked. As much as Fleur tried to pick out words, it failed. He grabbed a napkin and a pen off the bar before scribbling something down. ‘English bad. lerning,’ he wrote. The Engineer seemed to understand. He took a napkin as well and shared the pen.

____

‘Do you like it here?’ He wrote.

____

‘Yes! Peple nice. Fun. I liek all!’ Fleur wrote back. They exchanged napkin notes for a long time, even after the food arrived. He also got to exchange notes with the Demo. Demo and Engie both found it adorable how the man's eyes lit up every time they said something to him, and the excitement in his hand as he wrote back. Broken English or not, every moment brought pure delight to every party. Even the bartender found himself amused and drawn in by the Deaf man's charm.

____

Eventually Fleur had his first mug of ale in hand. It was recommended to him by Demo, but he was unaware of how explosive the man's tastes were. One drink of it had him coughing like an old sick woman. "Breathe! Breathe, laddie! It's only yer first one! No need to rush through it!" Demo encouraged. Fleur eventually got himself under control and went for another drink. This time he handled it, but a strong bitter flavor had his eyes twitching a bit. The two watched him in amusement as he struggled to down the nasty substance.

____

Demo interrupted him with another note. ‘How about we play a game? Drinking alone is not fun,’ it said. Fleur had always liked the sound of games, so of course he was on board with the idea. Soon the Engie, Demo, Fleur, and a Pyro all stood at a sturdy, well-used pool table. They organized into two teams and took turns hitting the balls on the table. Each time one of them failed to knock in their own ball they had to take a shot. Fleur only played pool once or twice, and the lack of skill stacked a high cost. The game wasn't even half way over before he found himself with 5 empty shot glasses and a tipsy head. As he bent low to aim, one striped ball became three or six of them. His shot completely missed the ball and struck the table instead.

____

"Alright, son. That might be enough for you," Engie came beside Fleur and attempted to take the pool stick. Fleur shoved him off and tried again, only to hit a solid 6 instead of the cue ball. All three of the others chuckled at his persistence. "Stubbornness ain't gonna win you this one. You oughta rest," the Engie continued to coax. True as always, Fleur was a terrible listener. He did his very best until his legs finally gave out. Everything felt numb and his eyes were anywhere but straight. It took Demo and Pyro both helping him to get back on his feet. They got him to a seat only to be smacked away.

____

‘What's the matter laddie?’ Demo wrote. Fleur ripped up the napkin and tried to write back, but his words weren't even in English. It was an incomprehensible and barely readable mix of German and French. "The lad's got the English muddled right out of his head," Demo mused as he tried to make sense of the note. As he tried to explain that he couldn't understand, Fleur only responded with angry signs. He resembled a rabid dog to the onlookers that couldn't understand these silent barks and complaints.

____

When the situation didn't get any better and Fleur only became more rowdy, Pyro hurried out to find Mundy. The Aussie still snored away the hours in his chair without a care in the world. Dreamland’s core got completely rocked when he was literally shaken back to reality. "What the bloody--!?" Mundy sat straight up, shocked to see Pyro in front of him and his underling completely gone. Before anything could be said, he already had a feeling about what happened. "Where'd that filthy Spy go?"

____

Mundy arrived on the scene to see Demo and Engie doing their best to keep Fleur still as he fought against them. The Sniper walked over promptly to grab the Frenchman's hands into his. All it took was a stern glare to turn Fleur from a struggling fighter to a crying mess. He hugged onto Mundy, soaking his vest in tears. The Sniper sighed deeply. "Gotta love emotional, childish drunks, huh?" he gently pushed Fleur back and put his new sign knowledge to use. You mad why? he managed to say. Fleur did his best to respond through the effects of the alcohol. His hand movements came a bit sluggish and unclear. Even if Mundy somehow learned the entire ASL dictionary he probably would not make sense of the weakened motion and loose form. "Ahh, I think I get it. Just come on," Mundy took Fleur's hand and helped him walk the best he could. It was not enough. With another pained sigh, Mundy picked up Fleur and slung him like a bag over his shoulder. Out they walked. A Sniper carrying a drunk, emotionally unstable, Deaf Spy out of a bar. That was a sight that no one expected to see at the end of their otherwise beautiful day.

____

Mundy took Fleur to his room and settled him in bed. "You're staying here. Here. Stay," he made the signs and made sure that the Spy saw his mouth movements. No room for confusion. After he got up though, Fleur tried to follow after him. "Stay. Stay," Mundy kept repeating the word as he pushed Fleur back into his bed. Eventually the Spy grew too tired to resist and passed out on the sheets. Mundy took a deep breath of both relief and frustration. It seemed his days of looking after children weren't over. He pulled off Fleur's shoes and suit, putting them in a safe place. Then he laid the man down properly and covered him over. "Nightie night, spook. Now let's hope you don't wake up with a hangover,"

____

But no promises were made that night.

____


	5. The Loud Ringer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleur is getting in more battle experience and diving into Mann Co's subculture. He's learning that color itself doesn't determine friend from foe.

The morning of Fleur's fourth day at Mann Co. finally dawned on the Blu base. He sat at a table in the cafeteria with Wahnsinn and Mundy. The three made a point to meet in the morning in preparation for the day. At least for a few weeks while Fleur still demanded so much training and attention. They already left him unattended once, which only resulted in trouble and hangovers. 

"So what's the plan today, Mister Mundy?" Wahnsinn flashed the Sniper a judgmental glare. Mundy's career as a caretaker and mentor were failing miserably so far, and the Medic had no shame in shining a light to that fact.

"Well, I figured me and Fleur would have a few morning bouts, then come back to take a break and do our lessons," Wahnsinn interrupted by clearing his throat. A stern reminder to not repeat past mistakes. Mundy continued after a pause, "in which I promise not to fall asleep again. Then who knows? I might introduce him to the Cooperative Zone or Alternate Gamemode Arena if you think he's ready for that?"

"Eventually, yes. But he needs to get used to battles first. Take him to different maps, teach him the objectives. Got it?" Wahnsinn advised.

Mundy shot a sideways glance. "Sometimes I wonder if you should be the caretaker in this deal," he muttered.

"You and I both know I'm a very busy man! I have a lot of contracts to do, and I also spend a long time in the lab every day!" Wahnsinn replied, almost sounding offended that his hard work would go unappreciated. By his closest friend, no less.

The Sniper threw up his hands. "What do you even do in that bloody lab!? Throw bobcat piss on rats and see how they react!? On top of that, it still boggles my mind why you would want Mann Co. to hire a man with no killing experience whatsoever!" he blurted.

"Why! Aren't you bold, making assumptions about my work like that! My business is my own, and you should be thanking me for several of the medical treatments we have now! In fact, if it weren't for me, we would still be using the old medigun models that healed much slower than my own design. You could have died much more often if it weren't for the hours I labor away in silence! As for Fleur, I know what he's made of!" Wahnsinn snapped back with thrice the sharpness.

Mundy only sighed in response. As much as he wanted to move onto bigger and greater things, Wahnsinn had important points. He had no place telling the Medic what and what not to do. Nor did he have the place to question his decisions. He glanced over at Fleur, who sat eating hesitantly. Probably worried about what they were raising their voices over. "I'm real sorry for that little outburst. Sorry to the both of ya." Mundy rose out of his seat like an old bear coming out of hibernation. "Alright. Come along." he said. Fleur waved to Wahnsinn as he disappeared with the Sniper. Mundy took his underling to what all of Mann Co. mutually agreed to be the best map for training. 2Fort greeted the two mercenaries at its busiest hours. They were there to witness the neverending matches, war veterans, and wild shenanigans that always swarmed this battlefield in all their glory. Some even called 2Fort Mann Co.'s center since it embodied their ideals of unpredictability and unorthodoxy.

Fleur's curious blue eyes observed every inch of their new surroundings. The lead-filled waters all the way up to the Sniper-infested battlements. "I'm gonna stay back up here. You go over there and have at it,” Mundy explained as he pointed to the opposite side, “There is no right or wrong here at 2Fort," 

"Fleur had trouble understanding these instructions as usual, but managed to figure them out after some gestures and notepad writing. It wasn't long before the Spy ran headlong into the chaos. He managed to get into a safe corner before his invisiwatch ran out of charge. Here he observed the action of Red against Blue. Something felt off about it though. The dancing patterns he observed in other battles didn't exist here. No perfectly timed steps or graceful flow. It was more like a haphazard night club where everyone followed their own unique beat. Snipers risked themselves on the battlements while scouts ran on the roof and soldiers rocketed overhead. Some risked the bridge or sewers while other brave souls challenged themselves to fight from a distance. However, there was one individual whose dance seemed to bring order to the chaos.

A face that Fleur had been acquainted with appeared again. The top Blu Spy, Milleur, was a rodeo rider on the 2Fort bull. It didn't matter how much randomness was thrown his way or how the battle twisted its body; he seemed to stay on top as a counterweight. He expected the unexpected. He stayed loose like water around the obstacles. Fleur watched in awe as he handled the chaos with ease. A Pyro finally stormed down in flames to take out the Spy. Fleur watched Milleur fall prey to the flames, only to resurrect behind the Pyro and take him by surprise. Seeing such flawless performance made excitement bubble inside Fleur like a little volcano. He wanted to be that good. Or even half as good as Milleur.

Even if their meeting hadn't been pleasant, hopes of learning from this battle master never escaped the Deaf Spy's mind. He trailed behind Milleur, watching every move he made in hopes of doing the same. After a while of observing and raising his confidence, Fleur ventured out. A Heavy walked by with minigun in hand. A dangerous Fleur snuck behind the enemy unit. His hand came down a second too late. The next thing he knew, he was locking eyes with the stout Russian. As he heard the dreaded revving of the Heavy's minigun, he tried frantically to recall how Milleur had dealt with similar situations. A move to the left and right, then a sharp turn to nab the enemy in the back. A move known as a trickstab. He’d seen Milleur execute it flawlessly at least 5 times. Surely he could pull off the stunt too. His knife traveled in a fantastical arc toward the Heavy's back. It landed right into a metal barrel. In a flash he saw the light of gunfire and the sting of death, then the nothingness of respawn.

One mistake wouldn't hold him down. He kept rushing in with Milleur, mirroring what the other Spy did to the best of his ability. At some point the enemy caught onto the fact that wherever Fleur was, Milleur was sure to be near. The Deaf Spy's unseasoned play and frequent mistakes ended up giving away his teammate's position or ruining opportunities to strike. Upon their tenth respawn, Milleur didn’t hesitate to voice his concerns.

"Stop following me!" his voice resonated through Fleur's body. The shouting did not daunt him in the least. He refused to give up. As could be expected, the same problem haunted them for the rest of the match. Milleur visibly cringed every time he saw Fleur respawn at his side, or when the Spy decloaked near him and messed up his plays. Yelling obviously didn't work. Intimidation fell to the dust. Any hopes of normal communication were dashed away by their language barrier. Milleur had to be crafty to get his way, and the albino snake had a plan in that twisted mind. A wave of his hand urged Fleur to follow him down into the sewers of 2Fort. A very peculiar type of battle action usually brewed in the underbelly of the map, where people could avoid the killing chaos up top.

A Red Engineer with an empty sentry, heavies with strange Christmas gloves, and a Demoman doing bottle tricks were a few of the party's attendants. Fleur wasn't quite sure what to think or do at the sight of both teams behaving this way, so naturally his eyes turned to Milleur for guidance. The crude Spy put up his hand. "Come on, slap my hand!" he said to the others. The Engineer took him up on the offer. As soon as he raised his own hand, Milleur sidestepped and nabbed the poor Texan in the back. The Red Heavy charged toward him with intent on revenge, while the Blu one shouted insults. Milleur seemed to have died after a few punches, but once again he magically reappeared behind a confused little Fleur.

The Deaf Spy looked to Milleur with astonishment in his eyes. Not just for his smooth movement while getting rid of that Engineer, but also how he managed to get away and fake his death so genuinely. In following that example, Fleur also went up to the group of people goofing off and socializing. Red and Blu mercenaries both came in to join the party, not knowing about the imminent crash. In a matter of seconds, Fleur had all the Reds down on the ground and their souls trapped in respawn. No remorse existed, not even when the Blus stared him down. Milleur only chuckled as he left the scene, leaving Fleur trapped in ignorance.

After Fleur continued to abuse the Reds who were just trying to enjoy one another's company, all the people involved in the party turned their wrath to him. The Blus yelling shook his core, and the Reds guns exploded it every time he came back. At some point, Mundy stopped Fleur with a note. "How are you doing?" it read.

Fleur took the pad to write back. ‘I good! Peple down ther fiting me,’ he showed Mundy the note and pointed down at the sewers. To someone like Mundy, who knew a bit more about the subculture of Mann Co, this situation felt a bit unsettling. He offered to go with Fleur, in which the Spy happily brought him along. To Mundy's expectations, a bunch of fighters from both sides set up a friendly zone in the sewers. Their judgemental eyes also had their gazes set on Fleur.

"Hold on, don't hurt him! He's new! He doesn't know about friendlies!" Mundy announced to the defensive mercenaries. Out of nowhere, he began doing a dance. The others joined in until all the members of the party were stepping in sync. Fleur observed. Confusion struck him, then fascination settled in. The stomp of their feet formed a rhythm in the floor. A rhythm he soon found himself following until all of them were in perfect sync. As strange as these friendlies were, they still had that certain charm that originally caught Fleur's attention in battles. That odd pattern, almost like a ballet but not quite, that pulled everyone into its flow.

The group of happy-timers didn't realize the match was over until Blu team got the final point. Even as the match bell rang, the two sides retreated peacefully to their respective bases. Before Fleur and Mundy fully left, an enemy Pyro stopped them. He wore strange goggles and a funky hat, and made gestures that encouraged Fleur to kill him. At first the Deaf Spy refused, but the Pyro kept insisting. Eventually he gave the man a quick swipe to the back. Both of the cosmetics fell to the ground, ready to be picked up by the young mercenary. They were a prize of a sort. A gift that showed Fleur's growth in Mann Co. They were held tightly in his hands as the battle officially closed.

"Congrats, Fleur! You got your first spoils of war! Try em on," Mundy cheered. Fleur appreciated the energy and fully intended to try his new toys. The hat didn't really impress him. It found a nice home in his locker, but the goggles had a chance to stay out a little longer. Putting them on opened up the world of Pyrovision. Dark browns and boring grays became light pinks and yellows. Other colors appeared more vibrantly. Blood spewed in colorful confetti, fires burned in rainbows. His favorite part, though, was how everyone seemed to have a childish smile no matter what.

"Alright, let's take those off now," Mundy tried to remove them from Fleur's eyes, only to get hissed at. "Bloody-- At least leave em off while yer still gettin' used to battle," he advised. Using gestures and written notes to relay the message as clearly as possible. Fleur complied for now, but Mundy had a feeling that the Pyrovision phase was on its way. What with how fascinated his new friend seemed to be with all the flashes of color and bended view of reality. The Pyrovision goggles were settled away for the time being.

The two mercenaries went to another battle at a map called Badwater. One team had to successfully push a bomb to the enemy's side within a certain amount of time. Blu team got the honor of being defense first. While the preparation clock ticked away, Fleur noticed that Milleur waited outside the enemy's gate for the clock to hit zero. A question he desperately wanted to ask came back to mind. He practically ran to Milleur with notepad in hand. "Oh mon dieu...what do you want?" the man sighed. Fleur revealed his note. 'Fake death how?' it read. Milleur pulled a round device from his pocket. It fit perfectly in the palm of his hand, shining bright gold. "This?" he asked. Fleur returned an excited nod. Milleur took the notepad and wrote a few things of his own down. 'It's a Dead Ringer. I can give you one, but you have to stay away from other spies for it to work,' he wrote. Fleur nodded even more enthusiastically than before. An extra Dead Ringer was pulled from his pocket and handed over to the eager young Spy. Fleur scampered off immediately to Mundy to show off the prize.

"Oi what's that, Spook? Got yourself a Dead Ringer? Uh...where?" Mundy made the sign for _where _, hoping that would make him a bit more clear. A pointing finger guided his eyes to the last person he expected. Milleur giving out anything was unheard of, especially to someone he considered scum of the human race. The minute remaining in round preparation time discouraged him from asking too much about it. For now, he opened up the dead ringer to reveal dials on the inside. In a combination of pointing and rushed writing, he taught Fleur how to make basic use of his new toy. The Spy was off to do his work.__

____

The battle continued for a long while. The offense team felt a constant press from Blu's defense. They still managed to push their cart through the points at the last moments, just barely keeping within time limits. Both teams were giving their all to stop the other. In the heat of battle, however, some people found themselves falling behind other teammates. Fleur in particular took more trips to respawn than usual. He understood the concept of faking a death, and worked the Dead Ringer just as intended. Yet at every turn, the enemy would predict his movement or know that he was there. His face crinkled in confusion and anger, but his heart kept driving him forward again.

____

A focused Engineer seemed to magically turn around as Fleur decloaked. Likewise a Medic immediately called for the help of his Heavy pocket when he appeared behind them. Soldiers even knew he was there despite being jarred by ground shaking rockets. With each respawn, his face twisted more. Until finally the enemy had the cart less than a minute away from the final terminus. He looked down at the golden item in his hand, silently blaming it for his troubles. Milleur must have rigged it, or perhaps he handed over a broken weapon.

____

Mundy respawned just in time to see a shaky hand lift the Dead Ringer into the air, then throw it at the ground in several pieces. "Fleur! What's wrong--?" The Aussie barely got the words out and couldn't reach his teammate before he stormed out with the normal invisiwatch clipped to his wrist. Mundy picked up the pieces and clipped the dial back together. Luckily these weapons were made to last, so a little bit of Frenchman rage wouldn't put it out of commission. The last part of the dial just clicked into place when Fleur stood in respawn again. This time Mundy caught his Deaf colleague by the arm. What's wrong? He kept signing.

____

Several angry scribbles in a notepad answered the question. ‘Always now I there! Ded Riger bad!’ The letters stood boldly. Mundy hummed a bit in thought. Then he took the notepad from the other man, writing much more calmly. ‘I'll watch to see what's wrong. Go out there again,’ he accompanied the writing with some gestures, hoping it would help. Fleur reluctantly took back the cursed Dead Ringer and headed out. His friend walked behind with rifle in hand. Mundy planted his feet outside the respawn door and brought the rifle to his eye. The Spy stayed within cross hairs as his movements were followed carefully. Upon Fleur's death, Mundy immediately recognized the problem. Of course he was no Spy, but he knew a thing or two from dealing with so many spooks during his Mann Co career.

____

The two met up again inside respawn, Mundy with a patient stare and Fleur with growing frustration. _What am I doing wrong? Could you see? It was probably that stupid Milleur-- _Fleur looked to his hands, seeing Mundy's large ones silence their rant. ‘I'll show you what's wrong after this fight,’ Mundy wrote. A loud boom from outside told them that it wouldn't be a long wait. Red successfully dragged their bomb to the end of the map, taking victory. Another round was due to start, but Mundy took Fleur elsewhere for some training. They left Badwater and went to another humble place called Harvest. Currently no battle raged there, so it provided them with a peaceful autumn scene to train in.__

______ _ _

Making full use of their communication methods, Mundy explained that the reason why Fleur kept getting caught was because of noise. All cloaking devices, or cloakers, made some sort of sound when decloaking their owners, and it happened that the Dead Ringer chimed louder than most. Then it came no surprise why Fleur noticed this performance flaw more evidently after changing devices. He kept activating it at different distances, with Mundy telling him what was good, risky, and then just plain suicide. They were at it for a long while, giving Fleur a wealth of information on appropriate distances or decloaking spots for the Dead Ringer and the more silent variants of cloakers. During their session, a third face decided to intrude.

______ _ _

"I saw you two left after the first round and I was a bit curious on what you were doing?" Milleur weaseled his way over, swaying his hips like a superstar that just owned the world.

______ _ _

"Well g'day to you too. I'm assuming you won?" Mundy answered with an annoyed edge to his voice.

______ _ _

The other man waved his hand. "Ah, sadly not. However, I did get top score in both rounds. It's the others on the team that couldn't manage to do their jobs correctly," he said. Mundy wanted to come back with something snarky, but unlike some other prideful fools, Milleur actually had the skill to back up his ego. The snake paused to check his suit, then continued talking. "So, where's your little hearing-impaired kitten?"

______ _ _

Mundy growled under his breath. "He has a name, you pale snake. Fleur is out looking on the map for good hiding spots and decloaking ranges. During that last round, he was decloaking right behind enemy's backs and I'm helpin' him out," the Aussie replied with crossed arms.

______ _ _

A hum came from Milleur, then a slight smirk. "What a cute beginner's mistake,"

______ _ _

"I can't really blame him. He never used a cloaker before joining Mann Co., and it ain't like he can make that kind of observation on his own,"

______ _ _

"Precisely why he won't go far as a mercenary," the snake came close to settle his arm around Mundy's broad shoulders, "Not being rude, of course. Let's just be honest for a minute. Hearing is a required skill for the battlefield. I know you see potential in him. As do I! There's just that one small technicality that will always keep him from--" the sentence fell short as a knife dug into Milleur's back. His body fell lifelessly to the ground, with Fleur standing in his place looking proud. Mundy couldn't help but bust out laughing. A loud, wild laugh that shook the air. Better yet, Milleur did not come back after respawning. He promptly teleported back to base without a word. The two walked out themselves, laughing and smiling at each other all the way.

______ _ _

They went back to the study room to get in some learning before taking to the battlefield again. Fleur was deep in study, occasionally looking to Mundy for clarification and lipreading. During the session, a familiar shadow passed by the door window. "Wait here, spook. I'll be right back," Mundy put up a finger and headed out to check on the shadow while the Frenchman continued studying.

______ _ _

Boots fell heavy on the floor as Mundy approached a small light down the hall. Soon the smell of smoke hit him. It was definitely Milleur, just like he thought. "What are you doing over here?" he questioned.

______ _ _

The shady Spy took another puff on his cigarette. "Does there have to be a reason for me to walk through the hallway? I'm just on a smoke break,"

______ _ _

Mundy's gut told him otherwise. Milleur wanted to talk and he had the slyest ways of getting what he wanted. "Alright. So while you're here, let me ask you a question. If you think Fleur is never going to make it big, then why do you stick around to care so much? Or give him one of your weapons? Last time I checked you weren't very giving," The Australian said.

______ _ _

Milleur seemed to be thinking deeply about an answer. Then he just chuckled with amusement. "Well, I can't exactly get rid of Fleur. So if he's going to stay he needs to be able to do something right! The Dead Ringer was a small price to pay. I get them as rewards all the time," he pulled his favorite one from his pocket. The gold shined especially bright and it glowed a faint red. "Of course he isn't getting my strange one though. Nobody is getting this, even over my dead body,"

______ _ _

Surprisingly he was able to get a snicker out of Mundy. "You and your fancy items. And your reasoning surprised me a bit! Honestly thought you had a heart for a minute there," the Australian poked at Milleur's pristine suit. That earned him an annoyed glance.

______ _ _

Smoke puffed its way into Mundy's face, making him choke. "Shut up, bushman. I meant what I said earlier. Fleur will always have a disadvantage. But he needs to be able to carry his own weight or he needs to go," he smacked the Aussie's hand away quickly and began pacing down the hall. "Good day. Have fun teaching your little oaf,"

______ _ _

Mundy wanted to say something, but he knew that Milleur was the kind to always have the last word. It wasn't worth the energy. He returned to the room and finished helping Fleur with his English lessons, making sure to pick up some sign along the way.

______ _ _


	6. Twisted Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleur uses and gets quite attached to the pyrovision goggles. But nothing beats unaltered reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a friendly reminder that italicized words are being signed. Enjoy!

Days ticked by like seconds on a clock. They were filled to the brim with action and excitement, growth and advancement for Fleur. Of course the occasional mistake slipped through such as misjudging a decloaking range or not making full use of a cloaker's charge. His skill stood far away from being a pro, but took many steps since day one. 

Numberous milestones were crossed. The victory of a first backstab, the satisfaction of actually winning a few rounds, and the personal achievement of not coming last on the post-game leaderboard, only to name a few. These triumphs were not a complete show of skill though. All Fleur's gunshots seemed to run away from their target. Sometimes it even felt like his knife and the enemy's back were both positive magnets. He swore every kill was a result of luck or sheer accident. At least the accidents happened more often, so nobody could complain. 

The basic concept of how battle operated at least clicked in Fleur's mind. He knew the different battle types and what the team expected out of him in each. Mundy marvelled at his underling's progress. In the large span of things, so much changed since day one. As a reward for the hard work, Mundy agreed to let Fleur finally use the pyrovision goggles. The goggles had been simply collecting dust in the locker. They were as happy as he was to finally be put to use.

The lenses were a gateway to a unique world. Dark browns became bright pinks and baby blues. The excitement to discover more of this strange new land filled every thought of the Frenchman's mind. He went running around the base, observing as every mercenary wore a friendly smile. Even those who forgot how to smile had the corners of their mouths warped up into playful grins. The halls and the bland walls were now swirled with yellow and lavender spirals. Even the most bland areas of the base were spruced up with the color and wonder of pyrovision.

"Alright, now let's go to our fight. Come on," Mundy tugged Fleur along to the teleporters with a genuine smile of his own. He mused over the idea that every mercenary had their pyrovision phase whether they liked to admit it or not. There was something magical about seeing the world you knew through a different set of eyes. Something even more magical about seeing a lively peer experience it for the first time. 

When they battled, Fleur found himself spending more time playing spot the difference rather than doing the objective. Of course Mundy allowed it to slide for now, given that this experience was still new and intriguing. This was the exact reason why he and Wahnsinn both agreed to wait before introducing their friend to the goggles. Persistent behavior also began to confirm the fears they held about it.

That evening as everyone came in from their long work days, Mundy noticed that Fleur still kept the goggles on. "You've had them bloody things on all day. Take em off at least for the night," the Sniper insisted. His French friend shook his head in refusal. "Take em off," Mundy repeated, raising his voice so that the vibrations shook Fleur. Still, a shake of utter disobedience. Followed by the most ambitious questions that an underling can ask their overseer.

_Why? ___

____

Mundy hated that he knew that sign. "Cuz I said so," he replied flatly. And Fleur hated that he could lipread that sentence.

____

_I'll keep them on if I want to. ___

______ _ _

"Fleur, you little--" Mundy wanted to tell the other man so much, but they lacked the knowledge of each other's language to get it across properly. The Sniper took a deep breath to ease down a growing temper. That freed him to think about the easiest way to word his thoughts in ASL. _Bad you _, he signed. Fleur seemed a bit confused.__

________ _ _ _ _

_Bad for me how? ___

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mundy sighed. He wanted to try and use ASL as much as possible, yet still found himself returning to the humble notepad. 'They're stopping you from work' the note read. As he read, Fleur's nose crinkled. A moment passed. He relaxed again, pen pressed to paper. 'Me work do better' the new note said. Mundy wanted to say something else to that, but his hand stuttered. Fleur's actions always spoke louder than his words, so time would tell if the pyrovision could stay or not. 

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Time certainly did tell a few things. From that conversation onward, Fleur made an effort to put work before self-indulgence. He discovered a whole new type of thrill. Successful gunshots rewarded him with explosions of confetti and party balloons. The bright colors and movement were a treat to watch. An incentive to do better. The victims of his knife laughed as they went down, smiling at him from the ground. It felt like they were happy he won the duel. Congratulating him for his victory in their deaths. Fleur wanted to keep getting better for these satisfying moments. What was once seen as a boon to his performance quickly became a lethal bane. Inspiration and determination were the most dangerous weapons under his belt.

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

A couple days passed. Fleur was enjoying a well deserved dinner as Mundy sat beside him, picking at his teeth absentmindedly. His opposite fingers tapped against the table, drawing the other man's attention with the vibrations. _Are you good? _Fleur asked.__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Fine, _Mundy answered. His green eyes flicked away. Those fingers continued strumming on the table.__

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_What are you thinking? _Fleur chewed his food with chipmunk cheeks as he waited for an answer.__

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An awkward moment passed while Mundy thought of how to word his sentence. There was a new level of stress that came when someone stared for a response. Especially when that person's eyes were blocked out with large round lenses. He took a deep breath to calm down and simplify his thought. _You doing good. Keep going! _He encouraged with a million dollar Australian smile. Seconds later, he returned to his state of thought and mindless tapping.__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Fleur returned the smile. _That all? ___

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"Hmm?" Mundy focused again.

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_Nothing else? ___

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_.....nah. _the sign was delayed way too long. It could be Mundy's beginner ASL skills, but Fleur was inclined to think otherwise.__

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_Fine. Just let me know if you do _, Fleur finished his meal and took away both trays. Mundy just watching silently as the Frenchman did a little dance to the trash bin. A few more days passed without anything noteworthy happening. Mundy would catch Milleur scolding or correcting Fleur a few times in the distance. Other than that, he just observed as his underling learned through each fight. How Fleur noticed his own flaws and corrected them as he went. Being smarter about his approaches and trying new things. Even if they were crazy ideas that would never work with his level of skill. Fleur was growing and moving on with Mundy just being a bystander. His fledgling was spreading his wings while he watched through his scope in the distance. Having nothing to contribute. Not being able to partake in Fleur's excitement when meeting a new milestone. Not even being able to zoom in and see the light of joy in Fleur's shining blue eyes.__

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Fleur wouldn't be his underling forever. He had to enjoy all these moments while they lasted. Mundy couldn't afford to sit around and think any more. He had to be a man of action. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mundy got the weapons of inspiration and determination in his hands. He worked twice as hard to learn ASL, went to triple the battles, and quadrupled the effort he poured into completing contracts. Fleur observed the change in his colleague. The bags under the Aussie's eyes. His hyperfocus during a battle. The sudden interest in understanding and being serious about ASL and Deaf Culture. Fleur knew there was something different. It couldn't be denied even by a half-blind fool. His hands stayed quiet about it, though. He didn't want to bother Mundy when the man already looked stressed enough. 

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A week passed before Mundy finally approached Fleur. The Frenchman watched as his friend panted for air. Like a dog who just ran across the lawn fifteen times. When Mundy finally recovered, he was met with Fleur's patient smile. 

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_What's the occasion? ___

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I got you a gift,"

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Fleur stood straight in attention and smiled wide. His eyes were still hidden behind the pyrovision lenses. Mundy hesitated. Are you going to show me? Fleur tilted over as if he could peek into Mundy's Velcroed bag. The Sniper opened his bag and presented his friend with a gift box. A large blue box with a red exaggerated bow. Mann Co emblems patterned the box. 

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mundy watched as Fleur took it. Shook it. Felt the weight of what was inside. _What is it? _He asked.__

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"That's the point of a surprise, ain't it? Silly dog," Mundy chuckled.

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Fleur seated himself at the nearest bench and opened his present. Three things were inside. Weapons by the name of Cloak & Dagger, L'etranger, and the Conniver's Kunai. Fleur nearly vibrated in his seat as he hurried to read the weapon descriptions. That overwhelming energy couldn't contain itself to only one person. Mundy found himself smiling too as he watched the man's body language scream in joy. The little leg kicks, trembles, and impossibly huge grin. The occasional squeals shot him right through the heart. Metaphorically, of course. With all that, he still bit his lip at the thought of not being able to see Fleur's eyes. Under those round lenses they must be glowing like little blue moons. Shining at the treasures. Sweeping over every little word on the tags. Mundy hated to ask, but keeping his mouth shut always had been a problem. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Fleur..." He tapped the man's shoulder, getting his attention immediately, "Can ya....take off these please?" He tapped the goggles. This time no hiss came. No swats or resistance. Fleur had a knowing smile as he removed the goggles. A large red outline appeared on his face where he'd been wearing them so long. Even his skin looked more pale there from a lack of sun. But seeing his eyes for the first time in three weeks made them even more brilliant than ever before. 

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Thank you! I'll use these first thing tomorrow! _Fleur blinked those happy little eyes. The light in them shining brighter than Mundy could remember. But just as he missed seeing the windows of Fleur's soul, the Frenchman missed something too: observing reality in all its unaltered glory. As much as he loved the bright flashes of pyroland, along with its explosions of color and light, nothing beat the charm of reality. Seeing a smile on Mundy's face. Not a distorted smile through strange lenses, but a real one. The smile of the man who supported him since day one, who poured all faith into him, and now who had gifted him with tools he would use until they broke and then a little more.__

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I enjoyed them a lot _, Fleur mused as he glanced over toward the goggles, _but real life is much more exciting. Thank you. _He hugged Mundy warmly, not wanting to let go for anything. Words couldn't express how much he appreciated what the Sniper did for him. The pain he went through to pour into his career. Now he doubted that his arms could either.____

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mundy gently pushed Fleur back. "It's getting late. You better sleep well so you can play with your toys tomorrow,"

___________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Right! _Fleur boxed everything back up and hightailed to his room. Mundy took the goggles back to his friend's locker with a look of satisfaction on his face. He had missed a lot of memories with Fleur. Things like his first back cap and 3-in-a-row killstreak. But tonight made up for all those lost opportunities and signaled the beginning of many more memories to come.__

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	7. Changing and Rearranging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wahnsinn has been suffering in silence with a personal relationship while the others go about their daily routines. His first friend and crush at Mann Co. has a schedule change that allows him to see her much more often and get close to her again. The more he tries to impress, the more he realizes his own shortcomings. But the others are there to support him, even if it's not always what he expects.

As the days passed, Fleur's skill level wasn't the only thing changing. Everything evolved in some way. Whether it be mercenaries improving themselves, moving out, or new discoveries made. Even Fleur's arsenal got a complete overhaul. Perhaps the only thing that failed to change was Milleur's static, disapproving attitude toward his teammates.

Some changes were good, others tragic, and some neither. Mann Co.'s very own Wahnsinn found himself caught in a change he was not ready for.

Her name was Alexei. When Wahnsinn first joined, she was among the first to greet him; Make him feel like he truly belonged. Of course others offered their help and support. Every effort went appreciated. Though at the end of the day, she was the one who volunteered countless hours of her personal time. She guided him on the ways of the battlefield and how to be effective as a healing class. Of all those people who helped, she was no doubt the one that went the farthest; with broken English and all.

Things changed after the first few weeks, which lessened their time together. Her battle schedule switched to late evening while his stayed early. Eventually he picked up hours in the lab, separating them even further. Every now and then their paths would cross and they'd share a smile or small talk. Now her schedule shifted back and they were seeing each other much more often. A part of him rejoiced at the opportunity to rebuild their weakened connection, but the other part screamed in his ears about those unjustified feelings toward her. Such thoughts as "She was just being nice to you because she's your teammate. There's nothing special," and "There's no way a woman like her would be interested in a man like you," swarmed like bees in his hive of a head.

The confused Medic finally called together his most trusted counsel of Mundy and Fleur. Normally they would be practicing ASL and English at the given hour, but were willing to spare some lessons to listen to Wahnsinn rant. They barely got to see him anyways so this came as a nice change of pace.

"So let me get this straight," Mundy said after Wahnsinn repeated himself at least thrice, "You fell for the lady a long time ago, then your schedules changed and you got separated. Now that you see her again, your heart is going wild?"

"Ja. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear on that the last three times," Wahnsinn bit out.

"No need to spit the dummy. Honestly I don't see the problem. Why can't ya just walk up to her and tell her how ya feel?" The Aussie replied with a shrug.

The mere suggestion almost had Wahnsinn clapping a hand to his chest. "Because! There is a possibility of rejection and then things are awkward!"

"It ain't awkward if you don't make it awkward."

"What does that even mean!?" The Medic threw his hands in the air. This is where Fleur took a hold of the situation. A hand on each man's shoulder settled them down before the Spy began to speak.

_In this situation, being subtle is the best way to go. Drop hints. See how she responds. _He said to Wahnsinn. Mundy picked up a few signs here and there, but only the intended target really got a clear message.__

____

"But how?" Wahnsinn looked as though he could be on the verge of a mental breakdown. If he knew how to properly drop hints, then this conversation would have been worthless from the start. Fleur smacked his own face with a sigh.

__

_You have to be friends before you can date. Keep it simple. Ask her if she wants to have lunch with you or join your battle. Just take a break together and talk. At this point I'm just throwing suggestions at you, pick one of them and run with it! _Fleur crossed his arms, staring at his still dumbfounded medic. Without a word being said, he knew that Wahnsinn was still taking it all too seriously.__

_____ _

_What if she really does want me like more than a friend? What do I do? _Wahnsinn asked, not even bothering to say it in English for Mundy. The Sniper's blunt attitude toward relationships and romance didn't deserve to have a voice in this decision. However, Fleur was a bit of a romance expert; A king at the art of making a partner become the royalty they are in the lover's heart.__

_______ _ _ _

_I'm going to be honest, _Fleur began as he paced over to the Medic, _It's way too early to be thinking about that. I am willing to show you a few tricks though. _The Deaf man mustered up the most seducing glare that he could. His eyebrows raised, a smug smile, a charming bat of the eyelashes, and slow beckoning motion toward Mundy. The Sniper swallowed nervously at the gesture. The poor soul had no context or warnings, yet he still obeyed that wagging finger. Once he approached, his hand was taken gently into Fleur's. The Spy's other hand traveled to his back to give it a relaxing massage. Just as Mundy got over his nerves, a tender kiss on the cheek had it all flaring up again. Wahnsinn's pen scribbled down observations with no regard to the Aussie's feelings.____

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Sense returned to Mundy just before he was dipped back in Fleur's arms, then kissed deeply on the lips. Once they parted, him and Fleur shared an intense moment where their eyes were locked into each other's. Fleur's confident blue ones meeting with the Sniper's flabbergasted green ones in a trap that felt eternal. The Frenchman finally broke the lock to look over at Wahnsinn. Their friend felt just as much thrill and surprise as they did. _This is all very good to take note of! One problem. Alexei is big and I don't think I could dip her like that, _Wahnsinn explained. Fleur froze solid with thought. An idea sprung to his mind. The talkative hands let Mundy fall freely to the floor before beginning their lecture.__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_You can just forget that entire last part then. Definitely go for kisses and hugs though. And cuddles! Lots of cuddles, okay? _An understanding nod from Wahnsinn pleased the Spy. His work had been done, his purpose served. He reported back to his English books and note-taking as if nothing just occurred. Meanwhile Mundy barely managed to get back on his long deer legs. Confused glances shot between Fleur and Wahnsinn while silence settled over the room.__

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"Did you get what you needed, doc?" Mundy asked as he tiptoed over to the Medic.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I absolutely did! Thank you so much for your patronage! Are you feeling well? You're blushing like crazy!" Wahnsinn grabbed his friend's wide wrist to feel the pulse. "You're not well, Mundy. Oh! Don't tell me that you might be falling for Fleur?" The Medic got an unusual sing song to his voice. That question almost shot Mundy's pulse into the dangerous range.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"No, I'm not! You know I don't bend that way!" Mundy snapped. The reaction only made Wahsninn chuckle like a drunkard.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I know, I know. You don't bend any way. If memory serves me correctly, your only crush was a girl you met at a family reunion and you found out she was your second cousin."

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Oi! How'd ya know that!?"

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"You told me."

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Bloody when!?"

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"While I was harvesting your organs for my chimera experiment."

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"You've known that long?"

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Ja. Now anyways. I will go now and see what I can do with this information that Fleur has given me. Can I just say that he was a lot more helpful than you were today? I think I'll give him some cookies later." Wahnsinn gathered his things together and caught Mundy just before he could speak. "Nein. You aren't getting any," he added as he walked out the door. Mundy let off a sigh. Attention turned to the scheduled lesson.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Boots stepped down the hall toward the workout center. Wahnsinn got in dozens of hours of cardio every week, but slacked on the foundation of his health. Things like focused weight lifting and a healthy diet got flushed away with long hours in the lab and meeting quotas on the battlefield. His sleeping hours were hideous to even think about. Nothing at all like Alexei, who always cared for herself and came to the gym on a fixed schedule. His eyes turned to the clock. 1:48 in the afternoon. She would be there at the next even hour, giving the doctor plenty of time to get in reps before they met.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The chest presses were up first. He set the bar high only to realize his shortcomings. He couldn't touch 200 pounds. He tried setting it down to 150 and struggled to budge it. It took lowering the standard to about half the first weight before he could actually continue with the exercise. The pain in his arms started out dull, and evolved into a burning mess over the course of a few minutes. The stopwatch barely hit a full five minutes before his arms were shaking like a hairless cat in winter. Fate would have it that the woman who stole his heart would enter the room at his weakest hour. He looked over to see the door open and the Heavy angel step in. She wore her casual work clothes and put up her hair in a cute bun. When she walked by, she waved at Wahnsinn with a friendly smile. All he could return was a nod of the head.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

His eyes wandered around to find something to alleviate the pain. The more he looked, the worse his pain became. Other mercenaries were pressing a minimum of 120 pounds. Alexei herself boosted her bar up to 400 and lifted it with ease. The emotions started up their nagging. “You're nothing impressive. Women like someone who's strong, so get these romantic thoughts out of your head". Wahnsinn gritted his teeth as the voices continued bickering at him. "Shut up..." the Medic whispered. He set his bar back to 150 out of pure spite. His hands tightened on the metal and shoved the weights into the air. The determined look in his eyes told the voices that it was time to back away. Pain welled up, sweat covered him like honey on a cake. He ignored it all. A mental count kept track of each rep.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

10...11...12...

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The numbers climbed higher.

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31...32...

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The count began to slow down. It never reached beyond 40. Wahnsinn's arms buckled under the weight. Going beyond pain and fire in his muscles. Getting to the point where his body flat out refused to obey command. An insane weight pressed against his chest, crushing the air out of him. He managed to snap back into reality long enough to realize it was his bar subjecting all 150 pounds of its weight on his ribs. No matter how hard he tried, he simply could not move it. This is how he died. He was positive of it. Until the weight was suddenly lifted by a large shadowy figure. His green eyes focused on the towering form of Alexei, holding the weight in one hand like it was a roll of paper towels. "Is doctor okay?" her voice hit Wahnsinn like a brick wall. This was the woman he was trying to impress. Having to be saved by her, from a barbell of all things, could have been the antimatter of impressive.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I'm...fine....thank you," his voice whispered out. It felt like it was being drowned by the voice of his emotions, whose screaming laughter filled his mind. Alexei gently patted his head. The negative emotions eased away.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Doctor need rest. He want Alexei make warm soup for him?" Her broken English somehow charmed Wahnsinn into listening.

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I'll go rest then. And-- oh! You don't need to make anything for me! Honestly! It's really appreciated though! Ow!" When he raised his arm, a sharp pain shot through it. Any twitch felt like a small explosion locked under his skin. The Medic offered a slight tip of his head as an _Auf Wiedersehen. _The gym faded in the distance and he made his way back to his dorm using the least arm work as necessary. That meant shoving his back into doors and doing fancy tricks with his shoulders. Occasionally his knees would get involved too.__

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As he trudged up stairs or shoved past doors, the emotions stormed back for another round of play time. "Look at you! You can't even lift your hand to hold an apple. Your little feat was impressive while it lasted...now what? She probably thinks you're pathetic!"

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Wahnsinn felt too tired to fight the voices. For once he decided to reason with them. Verbally, since nobody else was around to call him schizophrenic. "Well she offered to make soup for me. She can't possibly be as disgusted with me as you make it sound," he muttered. The voices chuckled.

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"Right, right! That's just pity!" The voices mused on. Wahnsinn would have rubbed his face if his arm wasn't throbbing so badly. The familiar sight of his lab peeked around the corner.

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"I'm going to go in and get some good sleep. I'll worry about this stuff later," he sighed as he disconnected from his emotions. The only thing he needed to think about was sleep. The experiments, the mistakes, and the other mixed thoughts could just wither away in the melting pot of Dreamland.

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\---------------------------------------------------

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Now, Doctor!" Alexei's voice rang. It hurt like the fires of hell, but Wahnsinn managed to activate Ubercharge on his teammate. Her whole body glowed solid blue as she was granted 7 precious seconds of invincibility. Together they wiped out half of the enemy defenses, allowing their teammates to push forward. When it came to battles, the two had excellent synergy. Outside of battles, Wahnsinn wanted to believe it was the same. But some events, such as nearly breaking his arms during a personal workout, provided no support for those hopes. The pain in his arms came as a terrible reminder.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A loud match announcement snapped him back to the moment. "Blue Victory!" The voice echoed over the map. All the Blues rejoiced. Some shouted, others gave their teammates high fives and fist bumps. Wahnsinn only smiled when Alexei put up her hand.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Oh no. Is doctor not good for high five?" She asked in concern, "Is he okay?"

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Wahnsinn shook his head. "Nein, I'm feeling fine. My arms just sting a little." he said. The sombre undertone in his voice had Alexei believing that it went beyond pained arms. Her expression hardened and she grabbed him by the back of the coat. "What are you doing!? We have another round to do!" He called. No amount of resistance changed her resolve. They took the teleporter back to base. Others looked on as the Russian bear paraded him through the base on the road to her room.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As soon as the door opened, a strong smell of fresh soup and bread poured into the hall. Alexei pulled him into her room that might as well be considered a kitchen. Tables and cooking appliances consumed half the space. There was hardly any place to maneuver, but she always preferred the comfort of food over that of couches and open floors. Wahnsinn sat down in a small chair with a sigh. "Alright. Why did you bring me here?" He asked as his eyes scanned over the room.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She didn't answer right away. Her focus was set on the stove and the pot that sat above it. It didn't waiver until a bowl of soup, crackers, and caravan tea were settled neatly in front of the doctor. "Eat." Was the only word she said.

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Wahnsinn blinked at the spread. Then a chuckle escaped. "Oh, you're so kind! But really, really...I don't need this. I'll take care of myself later!" He insisted and raised off the seat.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"But Doctor does not." Alexei put a firm hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down. Of course she had a serious face out on the battlefield, but never before had her deadly eyes been directed at him. Even when he made mistakes out there, she always respawned with an understanding smile and encouraged him to do better. This was not one of those times. This time he knew what it felt like to be the man in a red shirt.

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With a slightly terrified nod, Wahnsinn picked up his spoon and began to eat the food she prepared. The soup tasted like a 5 star dinner in one bite. A single taste had him eating the whole bowl like a wild dog. Alexei chuckled at the sight. "Does Doctor want more?" She asked. Without a sound, Wahnsinn shouted yes. His eyes were lively and interested, the bowl held out for a second helping, and he didn't bother to swallow the last bite before asking for more. That was the best compliment she could receive, and a request she would gladly fill.

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A few bites into the second bowl, Wahnsinn looked at her with confusion and awe in his eyes. "So why are you doing this for me?" He asked again. His emotions were quiet. Anticipating an answer. Part of him wondered if she loved him too. The other part swore it was pity. To his surprise, neither proved true.

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"Doctor not take care of self properly. Alexei want help him stay strong," she answered. It wasn't quite the response he wanted, but her genuine care made his heart flutter nonetheless. But she added a question he felt unprepared to answer. "Why Doctor not care for self?"

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"Well, you see!" Wahnsinn blurted immediately without having a planned answer, "I work a lot in my lab. They have a very high demand for my scientific knowledge. When I'm not doing that, I'm in battles to fill my daily quotas. They have very high expectations, you know! By time those things are over, I barely have time to sleep or do anything else!"

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The look on his face suggested that he was proud of himself. The woman's expression could not have fallen more flat. "And Doctor is fine with this? Why he not go talk with Administrator?" She questioned. The mere mention of that woman's name made the Medic shrivel like a slug in salt.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I'd rather not talk to her. Plus, it's all okay! I enjoy working at the lab! And my quotas aren't too bad if I focus on the objectives!" he explained. That provided no alleviation to the stout Russian.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

With some thought, Alexei finally formed a response. "Is fine if Doctor not want go see Administrator. But--" she leaned forward to make sure every ounce of his focus zeroed in on her. "Alexei will make sure that Doctor is healthy. She not accept little man passing out on battlefield. Understand?" Her broken English still managed to exert a sort of dominance. It wasn't a belittling kind of dominance, though. It reminded Wahnsinn more of a mother. Someone who really cared and settled for nothing less than one's best. On top of that, she was willing to help them get there.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Wahnsinn really hated to be trouble, but the look in her eyes said that serving was an honor. Given that he had almost passed out a few times during battle too, turning her down was a sort of detriment. "Only if you're sure about it." he finally said. In that moment a deal was sealed.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Over the course of the next few days, she held up her end of this deal very intensely. Every morning she gave him a container of broth to take with him. After every battle she would remind him to drink a little of it. When they went to the gym, she made sure he wasn't overdoing the weights. Most importantly, she stopped by the lab to give him sleep reminders. Some people took no notice of the slight improvement in Wahnsinn's performance. But details never escaped one man's eyes.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Morning! _Fleur signed as he sat at the breakfast table next to his German friend. There was an excited sparkle in the Frenchman's eyes.__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Morning to you too. Why you looking like that? _Wahnsinn signed back. He leaned away as Fleur simultaneously leaned forward.__

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_I saw you spending more time with Alexei. It looks like you two are getting along well! ___

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Thank you... ___

________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Give me the details! ___

__________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Details? ___

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Yes! Have you two cuddled yet? ___

______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_No. Not yet. It's kind of complicated. And one sided. She is giving me so much, but I've barely done anything back. ___

________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_Why don't you show her your lab? If she really loves you, I am sure she wants to see it all. ___

__________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"But Fleur! I don't want to scare her off!" Wahnsinn forgot all his ASL and blurted the words. Luckily his Deaf friend understood the message just as clearly. His lips puckered and he shrugged his shoulders as if to say _so what? _Wahnsinn groaned. He should have known he'd get this kind of response. "I know you Deaf people are very transparent when it comes to your feelings. But this time--"__

____________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A finger pressed to his mouth to hush him. _If she can't appreciate your work then she can't appreciate you. Show it to her. I have a feeling she'll love it. When has my gut been wrong? ___

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Nothing could be said against that. "You're right. I'll go try it. Thank you." Wahnsinn patted his friend on the shoulder and the two parted ways. A normal day passed. Battles, shouting, food breaks, and finally time in the evening for lab work. He put away his weapons for the day and turned on his feet to head for the lab. They were stopped on cue by a Russian pillar.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Did Doctor remember drink Alexei made for him?" She asked. The mere reminder had him grabbing for the canteen to get a drink of the nutritious bone broth she stocked him with daily. She nodded her head in silent approval. "Where is Doctor going now?"

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Wahnsinn clipped the canteen back to his belt with a sigh. "I was on my way back to the lab. But...I was thinking...that maybe you'd like to come look too?"

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Alexei's eyes widened. "Alexei can see what Doctor been working on?"

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"She absolutely can!" Wahnsinn chimed. His playful laughter trailed off nervously. Of course Alexei would hate his work. Everyone did unless they were the ones reaping benefits from it. The only thing keeping his optimism high was the trust in a Spy's word. A pretty shaky thing to put hope on for any sane man.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As they walked to the lab, Wahnsinn couldn't help but notice the woman's quicker steps. Every inch they got closer to the lab shot her excitement up a bit higher. She would only be disappointed in the end. That much he was convinced of. When they finally went inside, her curious eyes were met with rows and shelves of chemicals and vials. All labeled and ordered neatly. Colors ranged from red to violet. Some bubbled while others were solid. Some hot. Some cold. Others unstable and constantly changing.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Papers were strewn all over the desks and any available space. The place definitely was not ready to see a visitor. But if Alexei was going to see his work, she might as well dive in to see its full glory. "Well this is the main lab. Where I do most of my mixing and calculations." he gestured to the expanse of mess. Alexei's eyes were just as wonder-filled as when he first mentioned his work.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She walked to a desk and lightly fingered through the papers. Seeing intricately drawn diagrams and formulas calculated to the 15th decimal places. "Doctor did all this?" She asked.

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"Well, uh, yes! I spend way too much time on this though, it's really not much to be proud of," Wahnsinn insisted. Despite his claims, a certain bubbly excitement still brewed. The negative emotions fell silent as their doctrines were challenged by this woman.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Not once did she appear disgusted or put off by what she was seeing or hearing in this lab. In fact, she craved more. "Where will Alexei find Doctor's results?" Her hands squeezed together as she fought to contain her energy. Wahnsinn had seen Fleur do that too many times to not recognize such subtle signs. It pushed him to go on with the tour. Not just in distance, but with confidence.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Yes, right this way! I'll show you what I've made!" He chimed and took her to the back room. There were rows of tanks and experimentation tables, showcases and cabinets. The first thing he showed her was a medical gun. "This heals double the speed and builds up Ubercharge 200% faster than a normal medigun! I haven't gotten it stable enough to use in battle, but it is coming along!"

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Can Alexei hold it?" She put her arms out. At first, Wahnsinn felt a bit nervous to do so. Her bunny eyes begged anyways. How could he refuse such a simple request? He put it in her arms and pointed at each dial, explaining how this new design operated. Her attention stayed hooked through the monotonous explanations and technical garble. Eventually the medigun found its way back into its showcase and their journey continued.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She marveled at all the little creatures in the tanks. Fish, octopus, mice, and other smaller creatures were living happily in the homes he created for them. "I use these guys for experimentation and DNA extraction. I can go on a whole rant, but I doubt you want that!"

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"What if Alexei do want that?" She turned her head sideways. "Doctor seem so happy when he talk about little experiments. Alexei want hear more."

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Are you sure you got time?"

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Alexei have all night."

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

And she was true to her word. Their bodies would feel it in the morning, but they had no regrets during those moonlight hours.

______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	8. A Dead Beat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleur has his first duel with an enemy, but his opponent is not your typical guy.

The battlefield rained with blood and bullets as the two teams fought to control a single point. The King of the Hill game mode required both teams to control the point for a given amount of time before they could be declared the winners. Red would hold it for 30 seconds, blue would gain it for a minute or two, then Red once again reclaimed its prize. The tide always shifted, each team's timer slowly counting down to zero. Each team was composed of highly skilled fighters, and equally wild playing cards.

On the Blue team, Fleur posed a challenge to his enemies. Every battle grew his intuition and abilities. He had begun to find where he fit into the "dance" of combat. Although not the best on the floor, he was becoming lethal competition. The weapons that Mundy gifted him were the tools that guided him on the road of success. Between the Kunai's life-stealing properties and the utility advantage provided by the L'etranger pistol, he finally found a loadout that suited his style. He learned that a Spy has a certain part to play. A genre of dance that he performs on this battlefield floor. He stays hidden. His enemies are surprised with lethal attacks and face the pistol when they show weakness. He is the silent backbone of the team that gathers Intel and disables the enemy from within. But the specific way that he executes his part can be drastically different than that of other spies. Some, like Milleur, preferred to dive head in and do whatever they could before escaping to recover. Fleur took a liking to being more observant and choosing his targets strategically. One Spy, however, made a style out of going against everything a Spy should be.

Fleur traveled along an alternate route to sneak his way behind the enemy. That's when he bumped into something invisible. Instinctively he grabbed onto it and had his knife at the ready. It revealed itself to be the enemy Spy. Finally having the chance to fight another of his kind, Fleur let the man go and got into a ready position. Suggesting a good old fashioned melee battle between the two. 

The enemy Spy stared at him for a moment and slowly retracted his knife. Its silver blade reflected in the light. Excitement bubbled in Fleur as he anticipated a move. Suddenly the Spy flicked a glowing revolver in his other hand. In a flash, Fleur's vision went black and he floated in the emptiness of respawn. It gave him plenty of time to contemplate what just happened before popping back into existence.

_What's wrong? _Mundy asked once he respawned next to his friend.__

____

Fleur blinked at him. _I don't know. The red Spy had a glowing gun and killed me with one bullet. Usually it takes at least three from a pistol. They're weak weapons. _He signed slowly and used a lot of gesturing to carry his sentence along. Mundy squinted at him. Not because he didn't understand the ASL. Rather he stood puzzled by this opponent's strategy. He held one finger up and went out himself to investigate.__

______ _ _

Jade green eyes scanned the area. Nothing to be found. Then he peered through his scope to get a closer look. In the window of a far building stood the red Spy. "What's this bloody idiot doing, standing there in the middle of God and everybody?" His thoughts expressed themselves in low mumbles. The rifle's cross-hairs moved to the Spy's head, only to get a good look at a confident smile. Mundy saw the same glowing pistol that Fleur had described. Next thing he knew, one bullet planted in his chest and the other straight to the head with god-like precision. The confusion in his mind engulfed him like the nothingness of respawn. Only difference being that it didn't fade away after a designated time.

______ _ _

Fleur waited on the Sniper with his arms folded and feet tapping. _Now do you understand? _He asked. All Mundy could do was offer a nod.__

________ _ _ _ _

"Not quite sure what we're dealing with here. But I really don't like it." he clunked out to see a dead soldier at his feet. The same red Spy managed to pick off the soldier in his retreat for health. Whatever this Spy was, he had to be taken care of. Who better to send than blue's own curious creature?

________ _ _ _ _

Their shadowy Spy traveled under cloak to approach the enemy red. After taking a quick glance around, Fleur disguised as a red Pyro and approached the building that his enemy resided in. An Engineer set up shop in the top hall with a teleporter and a turret. Fleur sunk his knife in the man's back and had sappers eating away at his buildings before anyone could move. The nest completely shattered in a matter of horrifying seconds.

________ _ _ _ _

Fleur rounded the corner only to be greeted with the red Spy's gun pressed to his forehead. It was glowing bright like the last two times. The vibration from the hammer cocking back could be felt against his skin. It caused him to flinch. He knew what came next. But it never did. His anxious eyes looked up at the enemy. "Hey! It's you again! I heard about you! You're that uh...that dude that can't hear, ain't ya?" The Spy said. He moved with so much energy and had an accent that Fleur was unfamiliar with lipreading. A confused stare was the only response he could give. 

________ _ _ _ _

"Guess that's you then. I know there's a battle going on, but it don't hurt none to talk, does it? How about it?" The Spy put his gun in his holster to show that he wanted a moment of peace. Fleur reluctantly put his knife down to his side. Curious as to what this foe wanted. The opponent took out a crumpled piece of paper and wrote down a name. "Wyatt. That's me! What's your name?" He handed the paper and pen to Fleur.

________ _ _ _ _

Below the first name, Fleur wrote his own name. Along with an extra memo. "Fleur...and don't forget it..." Wyatt squinted at the paper. The Kunai dug into his back. A shout escaped in the building. "Ah! Catching your enemy off guard...then taking them down...I like your style." He muttered before falling dead on the floor. As Fleur stared down at the corpse, he remembered a piece of battlefield etiquette that Mundy taught him. If you exchanged names with an enemy, it meant they wanted to duel you. A duel they would have, and may the best Spy win.

________ _ _ _ _

Trying to battle each other in the chaos of a normal battle proved to be no easy task. In the grand scheme of things, Wyatt always seemed to be one step ahead. There was no immediate counter to his style. He somehow got damage boosts on his pistol and used it as his primary weapon. Above that, Fleur had never met someone with so much situational awareness. It was like he had one eye on the battle and a metaphorical eye in the back of his head. Even with Fleur utilizing his disguises, his opponent possessed an intuition that stopped him dead in his tracks. Quite literally. 

________ _ _ _ _

Despite the constant shutdowns, Fleur also managed to surprise the foe. The amount of perseverance and sheer willpower was almost overwhelming in Wyatt's eyes. It wasn't often that he found a Blue who kept getting cut down and found the strength to come back. Not after so many defeats. Not after almost 7 minutes of battering. Not when the timer had less than ten seconds left and the match locked in Red's favor. No. Most men would have shelved their weapons and run to find safety at this point. Then again, Fleur was not like most men.

________ _ _ _ _

The loud beeping that echoed through the map during the last seconds shook Fleur's feet. His enemy stood in front of him with a gun pointed straight at his head. It was a moment that seemed locked in time. Fear of feeling another bullet sting definitely ran through his mind. But fear was chased out in the face of urgency. The only thing that existed in this moment was Wyatt and himself. Losing or winning didn't matter. A shot to the head would just be one more thing to deal with later. This wasn't about any of that. This was about proving himself to someone who gave him the honor of a duel. About showing everything that he had learned from experience and his peers.

________ _ _ _ _

One bullet seemed to sail in slow motion. It lodged into Fleur's right shoulder and earned a pained shout. He wasn't dead though. Not yet. He continued to charge forward. Wyatt would have shot a second bullet if not for the terrifying glare that froze him still. The deep blue of Fleur's eyes shined dangerously. Suddenly Wyatt felt the other Spy collide into him, sending them both to the floor. Light reflected off the Kunai as it raised in the air. Then a sharp pain as it stabbed through Wyatt's chest.

________ _ _ _ _

"Red wins!" The administrator's voice rang over the speakers. Fleur didn't care. He panted as he stared into Wyatt's lightless eyes. Then a hand gently rested on his shoulder. He looked back to see Wyatt standing there with the dead ringer in his hand. Any feeling of accomplishment faded away. His Kunai rolled on the ground. The strength to run felt non-existent. He simply grabbed Wyatt's gun hand and guided it up so that the barrel chilled the side of his head.

________ _ _ _ _

Wyatt stared for a moment. A sigh escaped as he tugged the gun away. "Nah, you don't deserve that. Don't know if you can understand me, but...well...you did pretty dang good." He said. Fleur understood the words and a small smile flashed on his face. It faded back down into an expression of defeat within a matter of seconds. Wyatt stood up and motioned for Fleur to follow. Since he was the loser, he had no real choice but to obey. Whether Wyatt intended to let him go or murder him, he had no idea. The best he could do was listen. 

________ _ _ _ _

They paced toward the red spawn rooms. Every time a red fighter passed by him, Fleur shivered. Expecting a hit or at least a harsh word. None came. They all simply retreated to their base, ignoring him as he trailed behind their Spy. A flat hand out told him to stop. "Wait here, I'll be right back." Wyatt said before disappearing. Fleur looked around the map for a few minutes while the other was gone. Just when he thought this was a prank, Wyatt returned with something in his hand.

________ _ _ _ _

"Here you go. I got a lot of extra clothes and crap that I never wear. You can have these. From one good Spy to another, right?" Wyatt had a friendly smile as he held out the item. On his finger hung a pair of headphones. The sides resembled white skeletons with angry eyes. He chuckled as Fleur took them. Inspecting them with interest. Then he put them on his head and gently ran his fingers along the skull shape. "They stopped working a long time ago. Not like it really matters to ya. Am I right? They fit you real good!" Wyatt clapped his hands to show a positive spirit. Then he rested a hand on Fleur's shoulder. "I see the making of a good Spy in ya. Keep going, aight? Don't let nobody else tell you what to do. See ya next time!" He gave the man a good pat on the back and went to his own spawn. 

________ _ _ _ _

Fleur could hardly contain his energy. All the pain and soreness in his body washed away in waves of delight. He had his first cosmetic aside from the company-issued hat and badge. Greater than that, he had made a good impression on a red. A Spy at that--and one with great skill at an unconventional style of fighting. 

________ _ _ _ _

When he reached Mundy, his hands started flinging at light speed. The poor Aussie's eyes couldn't follow them any better than a whizzing fly. "Alright, alright! Slow down there!" He chuckled and put his hands up defensively. Fleur took a deep breath to reel himself back in. 

________ _ _ _ _

_"I'm sorry. Anyways. You know the red Spy? He gave me these." _Fleur turned his head and tapped the headphones. Mundy had a very surprised face. It turned into a big smile as he gave his friend a double thumbs up. Fleur responded with happy claps and an unaware squeal.__

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_"How was your first time interacting with a red? Aside from the friendlies?" _Mundy did his best to sign. The small mistakes were corrected before Fleur responded.__

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_"It was fun! I was surprised that they treated me like an equal. Do you think I'll ever see him again?" ___

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_"Reds and Blues are the same. Only our color makes us different. Some people understand that. Some don't. I'm happy you met one who did. And sure! You know what?" ___

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_"What?" _Fleur's eyes somehow shined brighter than before and he made a little groaning noise.__

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mundy looked at Fleur softly. Wahnsinn's words came ringing in his head. The Spy's performance on the field today really proved the warrior spirit inside him. Mundy took a deep breath before signing an answer. _"I think you're ready to go to the co-op zone." ___

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	9. Zombie Rush!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleur goes to the Co-op zone for the first time, and he witnesses another teammate's love spark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say thank you for reading this far! I really hope you've enjoyed and the comments/shares/likes are very appreciated. I also hope that you've seen improvement from the first chapter. 
> 
> Speaking of which, I updated the first chapter to have a bit more detail about Fleur's backstory. Heads up that I'm planning to do a smaller fic that focuses on the character backstories.
> 
> Last thing I want to tell you is that the plot is going to really start picking up pace in the next few chapters. If you've enjoyed the journey so far, then you're really going to love what's coming! Thank you all again for sticking with me!

Wonderstruck eyes flickered brightly. The Co-op zone had lots of flashy posters that described various events in detail. Reds and Blues talked to each other casually. Laughing and joking just like normal friends. Fleur was soaking in all these new sights and experiences insatiably. Mundy could hardly keep up.

To the right stood the teleporter hall. It would take mercenaries to their playing fields just like the ones back at base. Then to the left was a large cafe that sold treats and drinks for both teams equally. There Fleur caught sight of Milleur sitting at a table with his pet crab. _He's so cute! What's his name? _Fleur signed with a happy trot in his step. The sudden intrusion put the other Spy on alert.__

____

"What are you doing here, little oaf!?" Milleur hid his tiny creature behind his coffee mug. The crab was a curious and adventurous soul, though. It popped right back out to greet Fleur with wide blue claws. It looked at him with beady black eyes. A very strange looking, round crab. Cute nonetheless.

__

Milleur's rude name got no reaction. Fleur's focus was absorbed by the crabby critter. Mundy watched as the Deaf spy gently petted and poked at the animal. Getting a soft giggle out of the man and a snorting sound from the crab. Then his eyes turned to Milleur. "Just so you know, the 'oaf' asked what your lap dog's name is."

__

"His name is Rex and he is a crab. More than that, he is mine." Milleur began pulling the crab away from what he considered a subhuman intruder. Rex snapped his claws loudly and made angry hisses as the distance grew. Hands were removed with a sigh. Even if Milleur could be rude, he wanted his pet to be happy too. If happiness meant being petted by an awful specimen of a Spy, then so be it. "Anyways. What brings you two halfwits here?"

__

Mundy didn't even have the motivation to be angry with this man. "I thought it was time that Fleur got a chance to come here, ya know? Being at battles ain't the only thing we do at Mann Co. He needs to understand what it means to be here and get to know some people. What about you? You don't really pop off as the type to be in a co-operative zone."

__

A pause hung in the air. "I have my reasons for being here. Spending all my free time at our hellhole of a base gets quite droll." Milleur answered. The lame-faced Aussie expected such an eloquent answer.

__

"Well you are a Spy after all. Keep yer secrets. Me and Fleur are gonna go play. Sure you don't wanna drag your baguette legs along with us? You look like a show pony sitting here with your living accessory." Mundy said, bringing his own form of eloquence to the table.

__

"Is that not the point? Now run along and play with your boyfriend. Propose to him while you are at it." Milleur shooed them off. The two obeyed, with an annoyed Mundy tugging Fleur along. They paced through the hallways. Trained eyes searching for which attraction would be best as an introduction. Nothing difficult or confusing, that's for sure.

__

One name suddenly jumped out at Mundy. He tapped his friend's shoulder. _You want to try Zombie Rush? _He signed. Fleur read over the sign, doing his best to understand the rules of the game. Zombie Rush was like a giant game of tag where the person who was "it", the zombie, had to tag all the other players and infect them. An enthusiastic nod showed Fleur's willingness to play. In seconds they were standing side by side in the game's lobby. Many people were talking or battling while they waited for the game to start.__

_____ _

Fleur observed a Soldier and Demoman wrestling on the floor while others cheered them on. Then some Scouts were all gathered around and talking, occasionally pointing at people as they gossiped. Engineers gathered together too, sharing small inventions they made. But a certain pair especially caught Fleur's attention. His former duel partner, Wyatt, stood next to a tall woman. Her face stern and attitude short. It was like she hated every fiber of this place.

_____ _

Curiosity pulled Fleur closer to them until Wyatt's multicolored eyes took notice. "Hey! This is that little guy I was tellin' ya 'bout! Fleur, right? I didn't forget it!" The red Spy did some finger guns at Fleur. The blue Spy did them back with a goofy smile. "That's the spirit! Now uh...y'all gotta introduce yourselves. Here's some pap--" but Wyatt found himself gently shoved to the side by the woman.

_____ _

_My name is Ellie. I am a Sniper. Wyatt told me how you scared him. Good job. _She signed in very neat academic ASL. Her formality shocked Fleur at first sight. Then the fact that she knew his language incited happiness in his little heart. Any kind of communication was better than none at all.__

_______ _ _ _

_It's nice to meet you! That was the first duel I ever had. He made me work hard but it was a good first experience. _Fleur answered.__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

The two continued on their conversation as their buddies stared on in wonder. "You didn't tell me that ya knew hand jives, Ellie!" Wyatt shouted with a childish spark in his eyes. She glared back at him seriously.

_________ _ _ _ _ _

"Sign language is important for communication and has a lot of practical uses. Maybe you should study skills you can use rather than goofing your time off." She stated.

_________ _ _ _ _ _

Wyatt tapped his fingers together. "Maybe we're forgetting the part where my goofing off got you here in the first place so you could use your sign language?" He offered. Ellie made no attempt at a comeback. Good news for him. Before their conversation could follow any more trails, the bell sounded for the start of the game. Fleur's name appeared high on a board, meaning he was the first to play as the zombie. It was happy shuffling to the door until he realized that Mundy nor anyone else was coming with him.

_________ _ _ _ _ _

He motioned for them to follow. In turn only receiving head shakes. _You're fine. Go on! _Mundy gestured. The Spy's feet didn't know whether to run or stay. In the end they took him to the door and he went through. No light seemed to exist within the room on the other side and he froze still in the darkness. Feeling for the slightest vibration and looking for any light. The floor glowed a deep red. A pre-recorded message about game rules and expectations echoed over the speakers, but went completely unnoticed except for their incoherent vibrations. He could only sit tight as the words filtered through. Suddenly the floor flashed a brighter red and something similar to an electric shock coursed through him. When he looked down at his hands, the clothing was ripped partially from his arms and parts of the flesh were completely eaten down to the bone. There was no pain or weird sensations. It seemed that only his appearance converted into that of a zombie. The technology alone boggled his active mind.__

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A few minutes passed before the door opened up. A long and wide river carried down a boat of people. Among them were a few familiar faces. Along the sides of the river were long roads with obstacles to jump over or go under. Fleur immediately began running down and traversing them as quickly as he could. Not quite fast enough to keep up with the boat, but not too far behind. The others had already started running through the first part of the map. This consisted of rickety stairs built up mountain sides or rocky roads through the hills. Some parts of the path even went through caves or on wooden bridges over ravines. Not far behind them came Fleur, who was just as energetic as when he began. All the running didn't seem to take out even an ounce of energy.

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He caught sight of a Heavy doing his best to run forward. Being weighed down by his mass and the hefty minigun in his hands. When all hope for the man seemed lost, he turned toward the zombie pursuer and revved up his 150 kilogram gun. Bullets flew toward Fleur, but did not penetrate. They were like hundreds of little wasps stinging him at once and forcing distance. Until the Heavy ran out of ammunition, leaving him vulnerable on his own. Only he was not alone.

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Two Scouts scampered in from what seemed like nowhere to cover for their larger and less agile friend. The Scouts donned red uniforms while Fleur caught sight of the Heavy's blue shirt shrinking in the distance. This is what it meant to be in the co-op zone. There was no difference between color or class. The only thing that mattered was which side you were on, and right now Fleur was on the losing one with no hope of turning the tides.

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Section after section of the maze, all his attempts were blocked by the untainted portion of players. They were noble tries, of course. He just didn't know the rhythm of this dance. It was not like the ones he learned on the battlefield, or even when he encountered the friendlies. This dance relied on others to carry it out, and his beat alone was not strong enough to knock theirs off cue. Though he was not alone for long. "Come here! Come get me, Spook!" Mundy waved his hands in wild arcs and called out for Fleur. His arms opened up as if he prepared for a big hug. The Spy came running to greet them.

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Fleur knocked Mundy over like a bowling ball at a midnight alley game. The two stayed still for a moment to calm down. _Good boy. Now you need to tag me. _Mundy signed. Fleur wasn't quite sure what that meant, but some gesturing helped him along. The tip of his knife gently tapped Mundy on the shoulder, causing another bolt to drop. The Sniper turned to look like a zombie in the blink of an eye. As fascinating as it looked, the zombies' prey escaped them by the second.__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

They rushed forward together. _That helicopter is the last point. If they escape on it then we lose! _Mundy tried to sign as he ran. It looked awful and his grammar even more so, but Fleur at least understood the goal. Their legs hardly seemed fast enough as they watched the helicopter rise off the ground and their victory fly away. They made one last ditch effort to make it on the flight. Fleur jumped as high as he could, barely getting his hand around the landing skid. Mundy came up under him and gave an extra push so he could secure both hands on the bar.__

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All signs of ground sank away from sight, leaving him dangling over a large body of water. Of course there respawn existed, but knowing that still didn't alleviate the adrenaline that came with the fear of risk. Especially when he looked up to see the others staring down at him and giving callouts. Bullets whirred by Fleur's face, grazing his skin and stinging it once again. One hand dropped. The other would be sure to follow. At least that's what it seemed like before he forced his arms around the skid. Bullets continued to batter him, but he would not let go. In fact, he only came closer. Like an armored tank that slowly creeped closer and promised a painful end.

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

All the helicopter passengers were alarmed when their enemy forced his way into their camp. The zombie skin made his eyes into nothing except black voids, yet they somehow held an intimidating aura. An aura that said he wasn't giving up or backing down. That he would keep coming until the goal was achieved. The same spirit that Wyatt saw and rewarded him for.

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Bullets flew and people shoved away others wildly. Fleur tagged at least 5 others before being apprehended. The people he tagged were shoved out of the helicopter mercilessly. He was the next to go. Yet he felt giddy even while staring down at the deep ocean below. Winning didn't matter in his eyes. It was fun while it lasted, and it was something he could be proud of. A positive experience to log in the memory web. The water only felt cold for a second before he slipped into respawn. Silence greeted with a smile on the other side. _You did good! _Mundy praised and patted Fleur on the back. Then together they walked out again to play a few more rounds.__

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* * *

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"Told ya he was a persistent little feller!" Wyatt chimed as he walked out with Ellie. The sweat falling off their heads was a testament to the hard work spent during the Zombie Rush games. She simply nodded her head as she went to the café to grab a drink.

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"You were right. He's got that spark. But ya know who else is a persistent fella?" she sipped her cold Bundaberg ginger beer as a pointing finger guided Wyatt's eyes across the room. Right to the blue Spy sitting at the table with his pet crab. "That bloke. The bugger keeps trying to talk to me and dance for my attention. But the only place I want him to bugger is off!" she hissed. Wyatt held a playful grin on his face.

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"Ever thought he might just have the hots for ya?" the red Spy suggested.

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Ellie rolled her eyes at the mere suggestion. "I done had my share of blokes and gals goggling their eyes at me. I don't need that kind of attention. Really hatin' how I seem to be a Spy magnet! I came here to have a job and be out of the bloody wilderness. Not to find love or any gushy stuff like that." in the middle of her rant, she looked over to see Wyatt batting his lashes at her.

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"You said somethin' 'bout a Spy magnet?" the man chimed.

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"Oh shut up you flirting wanker!" she laughed and fake punched his shoulder. The two chuckled over some drinks while Milleur looked on. Every now and then he would shuffle in his seat or scoot Rex back to the edge of the table. Sometimes he even tried his hand at batting his eyes at her. She only devoted her attention to him long enough to point a finger and mumble to Wyatt. Not the kind of attention most people would want, but it had to be better than no notice at all. Milleur had never met a woman who didn't fall in love with him. Whether it be for money or not, love was love. He rose to the challenge and walked over to her with Rex sitting on his shoulder. All traces of a smile or laughter fell from Ellie's features. "You must think yer somethin'." she said as he came closer.

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Milleur leaned against the wall on her side opposite of Wyatt. "Well I'm only the top ranking Spy on Blu. That's something, is it not?" he answered with a tone of confidence. A moment of silence ensued. "I must say that I admire how well you perform on the battlefield. I'm sure your personality is just as graceful too, if I was ever blessed with the chance to know it better."

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When it came to elegant speeches, Milleur truly had anyone beat. Ellie's features softened a bit at his words. "How sad that you never will. G'day, mate." she said before prying herself from the wall. She barely walked two feet before her hand was grabbed up into a gentle embrace.

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"Why not? If it has to do with the difference in our color, I would like to remind you that there is no law against such things. And do you not agree that purple is such a lovely, royal hue?" Milleur persisted. Before she could respond, he dared to say more. "I have seen many women. But none quite so lovely as yourself. Would you allow me to have at least a chance?" he added. The tone of his voice, his charm, and the adorable crab that adorned his shoulder would be enough to charm any woman.

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Ellie paused. This was definitely the first time she had seen him go so far to get her attention. To the point that it was almost pitiful to look at. "I'm not interested in ya, mate." she finally said. As she yanked her hand away and walked off with Wyatt at her side, all Milleur could do was stare in disbelief. Never before had he met a woman who did not fall prey to his charms. Never before had he been rejected.

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Wyatt glanced back. "He's staring at your backside." he reported.

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Another eye roll from Ellie. "He's staring at his own shame is what he's starin' at."

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"If we're being honest though, I ain't never seen him go after someone like he goes after you. And trust me. I'm a Spy."

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"I wouldn't trust ya with a five dollar bill and a jawbreaker. I don't care what that wanker thinks about me, I'm not out here lookin' for attention. Better than that, a man with his kind of ego don't deserve me anyways. He's just a selfish, insensitive--"

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"Well you ain't sounding any better."

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Silence walled the space between the two as they went back to base.

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* * *

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Mundy and Fleur rolled out of the game exhausted. Their feet couldn't carry them to the café half as quickly as they needed it. When they walked by, Milleur was still standing. A statue in the middle of the seating area. _I bet I could taste salt if I licked him! _Fleur jested as he downed the first round of water. The pair had two more full cups before easing down from their exercise.__

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_Did you enjoy the game? _Mundy signed. A very enthusiastic nod answered him.__

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_I'm in a little bit of pain from the respawns, but it was worth it! I want to play again! _Fleur was so excited that he accidentally smacked his hat. The two laughed at it, then Fleur's attention turned to Milleur. A waving hand in front of the man's face and a couple small hollers still did not get his attention. Only at a light tap did he finally come to his senses. _Can I pet your crab? _Fleur asked as he pointed to Rex. But he never got an answer. Milleur turned on his heels and walked away like a doll who just got its porcelain heart shattered.____

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Worried eyes glanced back at Mundy. _He'll be fine. give it time. We need to take a shower and go to bed. _Mundy gestured, messing up every now and then. At least his sign was better than nothing. The two of them ghosted Milleur's sad steps as they prepared for a good night and another busy day.__

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	10. Other Reasons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mundy is strengthening his ASL basics when they realize that Milleur is acting a bit odd. Later Fleur learns about autobalance and Mundy uses his bonus credit to take his teammate cosmetic shopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read this far, thank you! The plot is going to start really coming together after this and I can't wait to see how it'll all play out! Now that I'm on break and my mind is clearer, I'm hoping to update at least once or twice more before school starts again. Also I'm going to start putting quotations around ASL, but those sentences will still be italicized.

"A...B....C...."

Mundy was practicing the ASL alphabet once again. His skills were getting much better when it came to communicating simple commands or concepts. Pen and paper hardly needed to come out during battles or cooperative games. Sadly the Sniper still slacked on the very core of the language, making childish mistakes often.

"Q....R....S.... Huh? That's what I'm bloody--!" Mundy fussed with Fleur's correction only to get bonked on the head. Mixing around his "a" and "s" was a common issue that Fleur would not let go unresolved. Even if he had to climb over the table and dent the top of Mundy's hat to do it. The lesson continued, though didn't go uninterrupted for long.

The door creaked open. A weasley head popped through. "What are you two doing?" Milleur asked as he cat-walked his way to the table.

"Fleur's just teaching me some ASL. We're going over the alphabet right now." Mundy answered.

A hum came from the prideful Spy. "I see," he muttered and flicked his hand toward Fleur. "So, he's teaching you his limited, inferior language?"

Fleur sat back in his seat with a serious look on his face. Unfortunately he could lip read every one of those words. Limited. Inferior. They spun in his head until a very nasty idea was born. He waved for Milleur's attention. After earning it, his angry face turned into one of pure sadistic pleasure. He signed the one thing he had never signed to anyone before in a non-educational way. A very casual and proud _"f*** you." ___

____

Mundy started laughing like a wild man and Fleur grinned while the other Spy was forgotten in a dust of confusion. "What is so funny? What did he say?" Milleur asked. The Aussie was too busy with his laughter to reply. "What did he say!?" Again the demand rang with no reply. 

____

It took a moment for Mundy to recover from the fit. "He said screw ya...only it ain't the word 'screw'. Guess the language ain't as limited as you thought, huh?" He chuckled. Milleur had no response. Not even a face twitch. "Anywho," Mundy interrupted silence, "what brought your skinny snake legs in here today?"

____

"Mm...boredom, I guess one could say. Already finished my daily quotas and the books I have been reading are so predictable and boring. Most of the mystery novels are in it for drama and do not go with the best solutions." Milleur concluded. Sounded fair enough, though skepticism still rested in Mundy's eyes. 

____

"Spies got their little secrets I reckon. You just gonna stand there? Or you gonna sit down and learn a little?" He asked.

____

Milleur glanced from him to the door and back. "I suppose I can take my leave. Keep learning your little lessons. Toodaloo!" His sassy fingers wiggled as he walked out. Not even having the mind to shut the door. With a grumble, Mundy shut it himself and returned to his seat. Their lesson continued without further interruption. The alphabet, time, describing objects and people, giving direction, and basic need signs were all part of the review session. Every now and then Mundy would forget the shape or placement of a sign, but some brief reminders pulled him along.

____

At the end of it, Mundy shook out his hands. _"How do you sign so long without feeling sore?" _He asked.__

______ _ _

_"Same way you speak without it hurting, I guess. You just get used to it." _Fleur answered.__

_______ _ _ _

_"Right. We need to get ready for the evening battles." _Mundy signed. The seat slowly came unglued from a couple hours of being settled. _"Do you think Milleur is actually interested in learning? It felt wrong for him to walk in like that." _____

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Fleur shrugged his shoulders. The two began their walk to the locker rooms. _"Not sure. If he does want to though, I think I know why." ___

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_"Why?" ___

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"Shhh" Fleur pressed a finger to his own lips and winked knowingly. The hint didn't reach Mundy.

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"All you Spies like to keep your secrets. I'm not surprised." Mundy rolled his eyes and waved the other man off.

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* * *

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The familiar rumbles, booms, and whizzes of the battlefield encircled the teams again. Mundy's trained eye searched for heads to pop, and his trusty rifle took care of the rest. Every now and then he could catch a glimpse of Fleur delving into action. His attempts were half victorious and half disastrous, depending on how keen his target was. At the very least, Mundy was thankful that the sneaky little bloke was on his side. Until he wasn't.

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The last thing Mundy saw was a rocket pummeling its way into his sniping perch. As expected, the blackness of respawn had him impatiently waiting to be reborn. When he came back, the walls were red. Looking down, his attire was red. A phenomenon that everyone hated, known as autobalance, took its toll on another poor victim. It kicked in when multiple mercenaries left a battle suddenly without replacement from their own team. He would be forced to fight on behalf of Red for the rest of this battle.

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"Welcome to the team!" A red Scout patted him on the shoulder. "You ever been autobalanced before?" 

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"Yeah I have. Bloody hate it."

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"Ah, yeah. Felt that. Though not gonna lie I'd love to be a Blue sometimes."

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"Why's that?" Mundy asked as he got some ammo packs on his belt. Before the Scout could open his mouth, the question was already answered.

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Strong steps came through. "Why are you chit chatting instead of fighting!? Get out there!" An equally strong voice thundered. One would turn around and expect that it came from a Heavy or maybe a Demoman. Instead, a Medic stood there. A Medic with an impressive stature, goat horns, and demonic eyes. 

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The Scout's legs couldn't seem to carry him away fast enough. Mundy blinked in confusion as he looked up to this man. "Well g'day there. Your cosmetics look pretty neat. Think I saw them horns in the store just the other day."

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The Medic's eye twitched. "They are not cosmetics. I engineered myself to have these. And I will make sure they pierce your backside if you don't shut up and fight." His tone sounded sharp, but Mundy still couldn't take him seriously. Not even an ounce of fear showed in his eyes. 

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"I'll fight when I'm ready. Taking a minute to get a feel for my temporary teammates ain't gonna hurt nobody." Mundy fixed his bullet strap and went toward the door. It took only a few seconds for him to be stopped again by a large red glove on his shoulder. "What do ya need now, goat horns?" he asked with an annoyed puff.

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The Medic let out a low, almost inhuman growl. "My name is Wutend, and I hate having a filthy Blu on my team as much as you hate being here. The only thing you need to know is that I do what it takes to make this team win and you will listen to me if you want your bonus paycheck." his tone was harsh, but Mundy still showed no fear or reverence to this monster of a man. He killed crocodiles more menacing than Wutend, though the man did come up as a pretty close contender in the positively inhumane department.

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Those hazel eyes once again looked down the scope, but now Mundy popped the heads of his fellow Blus instead. A bit of guilt touched his heart when he saw one of them go down from his bullet. Not only that, but he earned no points for his team or the Reds. More money in his pocket was the only reward, but it felt worth it when he reminded himself of the reason for his paychecks. They weren't for himself, but instead to support his family overseas. No amount of positive reminders could cover a guilt he'd soon feel though. A faint decloaking sound reached his ears, and he turned around to see Fleur standing there. _"You're Red now! That's so cool!" _The Spy signed to him.__

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All Mundy could do was stand there in conflict as his colleague circled around him curiously and tugged at his red shirt. The grip on his shiv tightened, deciding whether or not to be pulled out. Right now they were enemies, yet he couldn't bring himself to treat the situation appropriately. "Yeah it is cool, ain't it?" He said as he pushed his arms down to his side. His hands came up and he was about to sign something when a loud shout stole his attention away. 

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_"Who is that?" _Fleur asked, looking as if he was disturbed all the way down to his soul.__

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_"You could feel that?" ___

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A nod answered. Mundy looked surprised. Once again he attempted to sign, but the shout repeated. Closer. Louder. "Hide yourself, quick!" He barely managed to say before Wutend came running around the corner. 

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The towering beast stopped in front of the startled Sniper. "What are you doing just standing here!? The cart is two points ahead of us now!" His volume never lowered despite being less than 5 feet away from the temporary teammate. Mundy stammered for a answer. He hated to lie, but he also didn't want to throw shade on Fleur. Just because he was hesitant to kill the blue Spy didn't mean that this man would hesitate to ruthlessly do it himself. "Speak up! Why are you all-- all the way-- here--" Wutend's harsh command fell into whispered words. Then his body thundered to its knees and down face first in the grass.

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Fleur stood there with black blood dripping off his kunai. _"I don't like him. He's too loud." _He signed.__

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"Well that's something I never thought I'd hear from you. Now do you wanna help me?" Mundy said. It took Fleur a moment to process the lipreading before nodding his head excitedly.

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* * *

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Mundy zoomed in and read ASL signs through his scope. Thanks to Fleur, he knew where the opposing team was coming from, how many, and which classes. Some may call it a dirty trick or an act of treachery. The two men, on the other hand, saw it as a way to have fun. Not only that, but every kill Mundy got meant one less point for another Red to steal and an extra bit of change in his pocket. It also kept Wutend's yelling at bay. Near the end of the round, Fleur resigned his position as an information giver and disappeared from the Sniper's sight. Mundy couldn't really ask any more out of the spook, or blame him for wanting to get in on some action. 

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Suddenly Mundy felt something press against his back. When he swung his head around, he caught glimpse of Fleur's smiling face resting on top of his shoulder. _"You scared me!" _Mundy signed. Fleur only nuzzled into his neck as a response. Then he tapped the Sniper's shoulder to guide his eyes toward a Pyro hiding in the bushes. The Pyro hardly got to turn his head to Mundy before a bullet flew between the eyes. _"Thank you." _The Sniper signed.____

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He continued to snipe enemies as they came into sight, with Fleur pointing over his shoulder at hiding targets or ones that Mundy otherwise would have missed. Most Snipers would have a nervous attack at the thought of a Spy being on their back...but Fleur's presence was one that he would welcome any time, anywhere, on any team. As the game progressed, Mundy would have to move to a new sniping spot. Right behind him would follow his little Spy ghost ready to hug and aid him.

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At the end of the match, the Reds were successful at pushing their cart to the end. Resulting in a large explosion that blew away anyone near it. The victors proceeded to massacre their defeated foes, with Wutend leading the bloody charge. But up in his perch, Mundy shielded Fleur from the destruction. They retreated peacefully to their side and waited to be given their share of war spoils. As expected, Mundy did not earn any points for his team or the enemy's. But he did earn double the pay as normal. 

_________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He looked down at the golden-colored check, then back up at Fleur. This couldn't have been earned without the help of his best friend. The smile and happy claps told him that Fleur was happy to help, but something tugged at Mundy's chest. Not spending at least a little bit of this money to get something for Fleur felt wrong. Almost criminal. _"Hey," _he waved toward his Deaf friend, _"would you like to go to the Mann Co. store and get something?" _____

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The answer was a very enthusiastic nod as always.

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* * *

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The shops were located in the co-op zone. It not only ensured that both teams received equal access to goods, but provided a place for the teams to interact in a friendly manner. "Hey there, Deafie!" Wyatt called while waving his arm in the air. It caught Fleur's attention and he came dragging Mundy over. 

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"Oh, hey it's you again. We didn't get to talk much at Zombie Rush. You're the one that gave Fleur the headphones, right?" Mundy said.

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"Yup! That would indeed be me! How's he liking them?" Wyatt asked. His smile managed to grow a bit wider when he saw Fleur wearing them.

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Mundy chuckled. "Little fellas liked em so much I don't think he's even taken them off for sleep!" He chimed. 

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Fleur watched their mouths as they talked. Every now and then he could make sense of it, but mostly it just blurred into a incomprehensible moving mess. His attention strayed away from the two and shifted toward the store items. A vast majority of the stock consisted of clothing, and a large portion of that came in the form of headwear. Silly hats, sophisticated hats, cute hats, and everything in between. It didn't take too long for Wyatt to reappear at Fleur's side. "I see you looking at these! How about this one? You'd look great in it!" He pulled a cowboy hat off one of the shelves. Fleur reached out and ran his fingers along the brim. A small smile and a shake of the head as if to say no thanks.

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Wyatt was determined to find something that his friend would like. He tugged off a black barrette. "You're French, right? You oughta like this one!" The Red Spy insisted. Another kind refusal. "Okay, okay. But this! This is nice, ain't it?" Wyatt held up a hat that looked like it belonged to an old French police officer. That earned an excited look in Fleur's eyes, followed by yet another light-hearted refusal. 

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He signed something in which Mundy had to serve as the translator. "He says all these hats are really nice, but he likes the one he has most."

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"Oh, that's understandable. But if you ever want to explore the more fancy side of things, just call me up! There's a cosmetic for every occasion!" Wyatt replied with a happy tone. Again Mundy did his best to translate, but his signs nor speech did a decent job at communicating their energy to each other. His efforts were greatly appreciated and utilized during the little outing. 

____________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Before the night was over, Wyatt at least convinced Fleur to try on nearly every piece of clothing in stock. Then something besides clothing captured Fleur's attention. He pranced up to the weapon wall and pressed his nose against the glass. A pointing finger and a curious look was all Mundy needed. "He wants to know what those are." He translated.

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"Oh, those? Most of them are war paints. They make your weapons look cooler. And you see this expensive thing over here?" Wyatt trotted over and directed attention to a particular knife. The blade was surrounded with a dim gray smoke and a white light shined over the blade. "These are called strangifiers. They're super expensive, but they pay off in the long run. A strange weapon looks cooler and keeps track of how many kills you get. The kills will rank it up and earn you extra store credit. That's how I buy most of my clothes without paying a penny!" Wyatt fixed his tie to emphasize his point. While he stood proud, Mundy did his best to tell Fleur how the system worked. They ended up having to borrow paper and pens, but in the end all was made clear.

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"To be honest, I never really got into this stuff. But he might like it." Mundy said as he looked over the cases again. A tap on the shoulder from Fleur gathered his attention and he processed the signs. "Uh...he's asking about shiny gold weapons. You know...like the gun Milleur has?"

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Wyatt's face crinkled at the mention of the man's name. "I unfortunately know exactly who and what you're talking about. Those weapons are made out of Australium. It looks cool, costs your soul, and has no practical use other than to show off your wealth." He replied.

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Once it had been translated, Fleur grabbed at his chest and signed something. "He says he wants to keep his soul." Mundy translated.

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"Me too, buddy. Me too." Wyatt mused on. His attention snapped to another topic. "Now...maybe you'll like these? You can paint your clothes whatever color you want!" He tugged Fleur over to the final corner of the store. There were all kinds of colors pasted on the wall. Fleur's busy blue eyes scanned over it all. The other two waited in anticipation for him to make a choice. Or if he would choose something at all. 

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Fleur's fingers opened and reached up. The other two watched, making mental bets on which color he would go for. Perhaps a bright blue? A shiny black? Or even an eye-catching yellow? He crushed all their expectations when he grabbed the hot pink card labeled "pink as hell". _"I want this color for my headphones!" _Fleur signed happily.__

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"You...well...alright." Mundy hesitated. Him and Wyatt looked at each other with shrugs. If that's what Fleur wanted, then neither of them were in a place to tell him otherwise. They walked him to the front, Mundy laid down the payment, and the kind lady running the register fixed them up. She took the dead beats and the color card before disappearing for a few seconds. When she returned, Fleur's gaze was blessed with the sight of flashy pink Dead Beats. He put them on with one of the biggest smiles his face could manage.

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_"Do they look nice?" _He signed. The two wagged their heads from one side to the other.__

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_"They aren't...bad..." _Mundy signed back. _"If you like them, then I'm happy." _Wyatt agreed with that statement once Mundy translated.____

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So happy they all were. Until a notorious party crasher and joy sapper cat-walked his way into the store. "Fancy seeing you here. I didn't think you had enough money to shop." Milleur commented as he blew a billow of smoke their way. Wyatt choked on the fumes while the others stared uninterested. The man dared to keep going even after the trio made it clear that his presence was not wanted. "So what are you doing? Buying some pretty pink clothes for your baby girl? I really didn't think you were the type, Mundy!" He said with a playful tone. 

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The Aussie took a deep breath. "Fleur picked it out himself. I just had the heart to buy it for him. Not that you'd know much about gift giving and sweet luxuries like that."

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Milleur almost lost his composure. "I know what real luxuries are. And I'm not really surprised he picked that, honestly. Fleur is a feminine name, after all. Next week he'll come in buying a ballet dress and a makeup kit. The week after that he'll be wearing high heels into battle and calling out for his prince to rescue him!" He jested. For once, Mundy thanked God that his teammate could not hear the trash pouring out of this snake's mouth.

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Mundy was about to say something when Wyatt pitched in. "Fleur is one strong little fellow. He don't cry when he's beat down, and he don't complain when the world screws him over. He does his best, and his best is more than yours'll ever be! He deserves to like whatever the heck he likes. If you got something to say, then say it to my gun on the battlefield." In a matter of seconds, he had both of his pistols drawn, spun, and back on his belt. Milleur only raised his eyebrows.

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"I see. So who are you? His other mom? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be so proud if I had a deaf-dumb Pédale* for a son." Milleur retorted. Then he added on just a little more for good measure. "Not only that, but you southeastern American hicks have never really been known to be...you know...the brightest of humankind."

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If Wyatt wasn't already convinced to pull his gun on this demon's skull, then that last sentence certainly cemented in the choice. Though everything in him wanted to send Milleur through respawn until his spine ached, he managed to hold his peace. Without a word, he put his hands on Fleur and Mundy's backs and guided them out of the store. "If it be God's will, I pray he send a torrent of fire down on that son of the devil." The Red Spy muttered.

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Mundy silently agreed. Fleur nodded his head too even though he had no clue what was going on. The only thing he understood was that bad things were said and he was also thankful to not know what even half of it was. "Well...on a...lighter note..." Mundy said while signing, "Our Thanksgiving break is coming up in a few weeks. I'm gonna be heading to Australia to see my family. They live in the northern territory."

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"Oh that sounds cool! Ellie's from up there. I think she wanted to visit her folks during the break too!" Wyatt chimed. Anything to break the heavy air of what happened earlier. 

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"She does? Well I might run into her then! That'd be a lotta fun..." Mundy paused to look over. Fleur was hopping from one foot to the other as if the floor bubbled lava at his feet. "You wanna go too?"

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A nod.

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"You ain't got your own folks you wanna see?"

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A shake of the head.

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"Well then...I guess there ain't nothin' wrong with that as long as you're sure about it. What about you, Wyatt? Where you headed?"

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"I'll probably visit the family farm. We raise a lot of horses in the southern parts of Kentucky. A couple derby winners have been ours. We don't do a whole lot...just stuff ourselves like hogs, sing songs round the fire, and act like monkeys. Wouldn't wish for another family, even with all the kinks and flaws we got." The man answered as he fixed his hat. 

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Silence fell between the three. Eventually Wyatt looked back to see Milleur standing outside the shop and staring with judgemental hawk eyes. "Well the days long now. Have yourself a fine evening...and have a good trip."

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"You too!" Mundy said. Then Fleur signed. "He said to tell your family hello for him!"

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"Will do!"

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And the three parted ways.

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* * *

_________________________________*Pédale is the French term for an effeminate gay man._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	11. Day One on the Outback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mundy and Fleur are going to Australia to visit Mundy's family during their holiday break. There is culture shock and happy times, but no family comes without its disagreements and issues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is introducing you to Mundy's folks and the culture of the area. Setting the stage for a wild ride! I'm glad you've stuck with me thus far and your feedback is always appreciated!

Quiet air stilled over Mann Co. and their owned properties. The battlefields finally got to breathe as their common visitors left them empty for the Holidays. Some mercenaries stayed at the dorms, holding Thanksgiving and Christmas parties. Most traveled abroad to visit familiar faces or get a change of scenery. Among those catching flights were a wide-grinned Aussie and his bright eyed Spy friend.

Mundy and Fleur waited with their tickets in hand. Soon an announcement rang that told them where to go. As they walked with packed bags toward the plane, Mundy's excitement grew along with Fleur's pure curiosity. They stepped onto the plane and assumed their seats near the back. It would be hours before they reached the ground again.

_"Are you feeling okay?" _Mundy asked.__

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Fleur nodded his head. _"Are you?" ___

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Mundy hesitated for a second before signing _"I'm good." _It earned a little chuckle from Fleur.__

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_"You look different but I can tell you from anywhere by your signing." _Fleur teased.__

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_"I can say the same for you." _Mundy replied. Indeed they both looked like completely different men. Mann Co. designed disguise kits hid their identity among the public. They were television celebrities after all, so going around normally would attract attention. Whether it was praise or death threats, they dared not to find out.__

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Several minutes passed. Suddenly the plane engines roared up, making Fleur jump. A gentle hand on the shoulder calmed him back down and kept him from instinctually pulling out his kunai. He glanced out the window to see the world slowly begin rolling. Faster and faster until it shrunk under them. Soon all he could see was blue sky, puffy clouds, and very distant mountains bidding him a safe travel. It didn't take too long for his attention to shift back to socializing. _"I know that people watch the Mann Co. Games on TV. But what's bad about people knowing we're the mercenaries? I would love for someone to walk up to me and get all excited to meet me!" ___

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Mundy seemed to pause for a bit too long, and not because he had trouble understanding the sign. His hands kept making a shape, then stopping before he could say anything. _"It's hard to tell you." _Mundy finally got out. Though judging by the look on his colleague's face, it seemed such an answer was expected. Several more minutes passed before Mundy could formulate a proper working sentence. _"Some people like Mann Co. Some people hate it. If you walk out as yourself, some people will be excited to meet you. Others will try to kill you, and maybe get higher authorities involved." _He explained. As per usual, Fleur helped correct his signs and grammar along the way. ASL training came with all occasions.____

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_"Now that I think about it, I don't really know a whole lot about Mann Co. Other than the fact it gave me a place to be myself." _Fleur said.__

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_"For me, it gave me a job that I can do to support my family. I can tell you more about Mann Co., but it's a really long story." _Mundy replied. His partner looked at him with usual curious blue eyes. Hands folded neatly on his lap. Ready to listen. Mundy chuckled. He should have known that Fleur was one for long stories. Especially when the two men had nothing else to do on a round trip to Australia.__

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Telling stories in ASL was a skill still new to Mundy. Yet he did his best to engage his listener into the tale. _"Mann Co. started as a business grown from the ground up by the Mann and Hale families. It sold weapons and cosmetics. Over time, it grew and grew to span across the world! Hmm..." _Mundy paused to think of how to continue. Out of nowhere, his hands picked up again__

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_"A lot happened, but to keep it short...at some point the company hired Mercenaries to steal a precious substance known as Australium--" ___

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An excitedly waving hand interrupted the story. _"Those were the original 9 classes, right!?" ___

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_"Right!" _Mundy confirmed before moving on. _"The first respawn system was invented as a way to recreate these mercenaries so that the companies would never have to hire new ones. Along the way, a malfunction lead to the creation of more than one copy of each class--" _____

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_"And that's why we have different leagues! Like Red and Blu!" ___

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_"Very good! Now after these mercenaries did their job, the company realized just how valuable the technology they created was. So they turned their own land into battlegrounds and let the mercenary clones fight for their amusement. They started airing battles over radio and TV, which gained public interest." ___

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_"Right! The first Mann Co. game took place in the Badlands in 1975!"_

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_"Sure. Now back to the story. At this point, Mann Co. had influence everywhere. They even had their own boutique line! They wanted to dig deeper into scientific territory and capitalize on the battle system. This lead them to hiring the wildest and most insane minds in the world to run the science. Then they hired the most wild people to put on a good show and be test subjects for future products. That is what has become modern Mann Co." ___

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_"It sounds amazing when you tell it like that! Your ASL could be a lot better though." _Fleur signed with a playful tap to Mundy's nose. That earned a goofy smile from the Aussie.__

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_"Yeah, it is amazing. It gives misfits like us a way to make money and have a second chance. It's the only thing keeping some people out of jail or the asylum. It means freedom for us. But I can see why some people wouldn't like it. With all the experiments, killing, and actual mercenary contracts." _Mundy scratched his head awkwardly. It seemed that no upside came without a very steep counterpart. The two continued talking during most of the trip. Their engagement turned the hours into minutes.__

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Soon the plane descended on its destination. Attention pulled toward the windows as ground and civilization neared. In no time at all, Mundy and Fleur were walking side by side off the plane. Warm, dry air hit them both in the face. A brisk wind brushed past them. Wilderness with occasional small towns stretched on for miles into the outback. _"Where is your house?" _Fleur questioned as he tilted his head up. Trying to see further, but nature went on endlessly.__

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_"My family is way up North." _Mundy gestured in the general direction. _"We're going to get a few things in the shops then head up there. You want to try some Australian food?"___

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Of course his happy little colleague greeted any new experience with an enthusiastic nod. They soon found themselves sitting in a small shop some way down the road. A grassy canopy shaded them from the sun as pretty ladies in crop top uniforms served customers. "How might I help ya?" One of the lasses chimed.

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The two men exchanged signs as the lady waited with a patient smile. Her face never changed as they repeated signs, puffed in annoyance, or angrily gestured. The fuss ended when Fleur finally smacked Mundy across the cheek. "Alright, ma'am!" The Aussie announced while holding the red spot, "Give us each one ginger ale and some witchety salad."

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The woman stepped off with a happy whistle. In the meantime, Mundy and Fleur continued to exchange signs. Fleur went down the menu and taught his lesser informed colleague how to properly communicate each item. _"Pointing is fine, but I want to see you using proper sign!" _Fleur reiterated with a wagging finger.__

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_"Yes mom." _Mundy responded with a sarcastic eye roll. He just smiled as Fleur threw a small fit at him. Between the flinging hands, their waitress dared to set down drinks. The food would follow not too much later. At that point, the flying hands would finally relax. Leaving Mundy with a grin, and Fleur with a slightly annoyed scowl.__

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Two plates were set in front of the men. "If you need anything else, just give us a holler!" the waitress said. Once she was out of sight, the two said their prayers. Mundy started off by energetically stuffing his face with the long-missed flavor of his homeland. Taking in the large amount of food slowly and methodically like a horse to enjoy every bite to the fullest. His colleague, for once, was not so ecstatic about trying something new. 

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A hesitant fork brushed the salad leaves and vegetables away to poke at large whitish worms buried inside. Fleur rolled some of the grubs around on his plate with a look of disgust. His pitiful eyes looked up to Mundy, who in turn had no hard feelings. _"I told you that you wouldn't like it." _he signed while still chewing. _"Go on and try it. It tastes like chicken. Just play pretend." _____

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Fleur said nothing back. He accepted that this was his fault and decided to make the most out of it. His eyes closed, followed by a deep breath. The grub on his fork at last went into his mouth, though he hesitated in going further. Constant mental reminders, along with signing to himself, tried to convince him that the thing on his tongue was nothing more than a fancy piece of chicken. The crunch of the shell and chewy insides convinced otherwise. His eyes opened at Mundy. The Sniper calmly munched his own food and stared back mercilessly. _"You have killed hundreds of men but you can't chew one bug?" ___

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Fleur's brows furrowed and he chewed awkwardly. _"You look like a kid trying to eat broccoli." _Mundy continued teasing. Right after swallowing what he put in his mouth, Fleur boldly took a larger bite of salad. This time, the Witchetty's crunch blended in with the assortment of cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and other minor flavor players. His plate was eaten clean in no time at all. _"Wasn't too bad, right?" _Mundy asked.____

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His colleague tilted his head from one side to the other in a mental debate. _"Guess not. But I don't want to eat those again." ___

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_"Why?" ___

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_"Because it's gross. I want to brush my teeth now." ___

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_"I understand." _Mundy chuckled as the waitress took their empty dishes away. They each got a ginger ale on their way out. _"The bus station is up there. We'll get a ride north, then it's about an hour walk on the country roads to get to my family." _He explained on the way. Fleur flashed him a thumbs up.____

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After paying for the tickets, they waited side by side on a bench for the next bus to arrive. Mundy looked Fleur up and down while he sipped the ginger ale. _"I would like to see what you looked like without your disguise while eating that Witchetty."_

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Sharp eyes glared back. _"Too bad you won't get to." _Fleur signed. A sigh escaped when his attention shifted back to the bottle in his hands. _"The ginger ale is very good though." _____

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A triggered memory made Mundy chuckle. _"If you think that's good, wait until you try my mom's. She makes actual ale out of it. But I doubt we want what happened last time you were drunk to happen again."_

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Once again, a dangerous glare cut into him. _"I thought we agreed to not bring that up?" ___

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_"It's just us. What's wrong with a little playing every now and then?"_

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Fleur began to sign something, but his hands froze up seconds after. A few more attempts at words came, with no real meaning in the end. Finally he took a deep breath and rubbed his face. _"I just want to keep the past in the past. Okay?" _he signed. The look on his face was one that Mundy had not seen too often, if ever. It almost looked like sadness or anxiety.__

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The Sniper nodded his head, dropping the smile and playful attitudes. _"Have you ever been to a farm?" _he said in an attempt to change the subject.__

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Fleur affirmed. _"I liked to play on farms when I was little. Haven't been to one since then."_

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_"You will like my family's farm. There's a lot of land, and plenty of animals to feed. They're sheep farmers." _Mundy explained. A little smile and nod came from his audience.__

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_"Do all the sheep have names?" ___

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_"Yes. There's not too many. My family doesn't have a huge amount of money." ___

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_"That's understandable. How many would you say there are?" ___

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_"15? Maybe 25 at most." ___

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They sat there for a little while longer in silence. Looking out over the mostly empty land, watching for their bus to come strolling down the hard dirt path at any moment. A distant engine got Mundy's attention. _"It's almost here. Come on." _He motioned to Fleur. The Deaf man put his empty ginger beer bottle in his pocket as he stood next to his colleague.__

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The bus came rolling slowly to a stop. Doors opened, though only one elderly lady came off the bus. Once she got off, the two mercenaries boarded and sat at the very back. Several minutes passed with no one else coming along the bus. With a slight pull, the bus began speeding along Its route at the pace of an old worn out dog. _"It's not busy around here, right?" _Fleur asked. Mundy shook his head.__

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_"There's nothing along this route. Just farms here and there." _He signed. The rest of their ride was spent looking out the window, seeing the wide outback roll by. Suddenly Fleur got excited and slammed Mundy's face to the window.__

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_"It's those animals you were telling me about!" _He signed enthusiastically. Sure enough, a kangaroo herd stood in the distance. Mostly standing still, though a few hopped from the shade of one tree to another. Mundy couldn't help but chuckle as he witnessed Fleur's excitement. Even in this disguise, his eyes still held a wondrous light and the little joyful squeaks were unable to be contained. Mundy pulled back.__

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_"It is. There's all kinds of animals around the farm. We can explore it if you want." _He signed. Fleur's enthusiasm rivaled that of his first day at Mann Co. For the rest of the ride, he held tightly onto Mundy's hands, occasionally squeezing or shaking them in pure exhilaration. When the bus stopped along the road, the Spy popped out of his seat like a Jack in a Box. Only to be tugged back down and told that their stop still had a while yet.__

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Soon the bus came to a halt again. This time the two got out of their seats and walked off onto a plain road. The ground was rather green, soft, and many groups of swamp trees sprawled out over the hills. The road was a gravely seam that stretched as far in one direction as the other. It seemed that the bus disintegrated in the sunlight as it drove off along the path. _"What now?" _Fleur asked. The sun beat down harshly so that even shielding his eyes with his hand didn't help too much. Mundy gently tugged him across the road and pointed to some distant trees.__

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_"My family's farm house is on the other side of those. Be careful and follow me." _He signed. With Mundy expertly leading the way and gently pulling Fleur along by the hand, they avoided muddy holes and hard tree roots. Once some trees had them covered from the sun's wrath, Fleur resorted to his favorite pastime: Talking.__

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_"I remember when I was younger I would hike a lot. But I've never seen anything like this. I thought Australia was all dry, hot desert." _He said. That earned a little chuckle from Mundy.__

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_"Parts of it are like that. Nothing but open outback. But we have a lot of swamps here too. You'll get used to it." _He replied. They continued tugging along the road until a house came into view. It was a decently sized place build up on a sturdy concrete foundation. Wooden stairs lead up to a dark door with glass designs on it. Vines grew up the paneling, but otherwise the yard looked to be kept well. Even the bushes and flowers surrounding the home were finely trimmed.__

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Mundy dropped his disguise and took a deep breath of the hot muggy air. Fleur soon followed, looking much more spent than his partner who was used to such climates. As they neared the front door, it suddenly opened. Out came a little girl, bounding toward Mundy in her light dress. "Uncle Mundy! Uncle Mundy!" She cheered as she jumped into his arms, "Guess what I found! Guess what I found!"

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"What did ya find?" Mundy spun her around once before putting her back down. She pulled off the little pouch around her waist to show him the treasure inside. A long snake shedding that must have been at least four feet long. She stood proud with it as it dangled down onto the ground from her showcase arms. "Wow, that's mighty impressive! Where'd ya find that?"

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"Over there!" The girl pointed off in a direction. "Mama said it's the biggest one she ever saw! The biggest! And I founds it!" She boasted.

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"Yes, yes I reckon you did. Now can you take me in to see mama?" Mundy asked. The little girl nodded her head and went running for the door.

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Not too long after, she came tugging along a tired-looking woman. "Uncle Mundy is here, Mama! And he brought his boyfriend too!"

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"His boyfriend? Ah, how sweet is that." The woman chuckled and rolled her eyes as she mustered the energy to hoist the girl onto her hip. "Hey there, Nathaniel. Been a while since you texted me. How have you and your boyfriend been?" she flashed a smirk at the two. 

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"Oh, you know. The usual. Popping heads for entertainment and money. Have you been watching the games?" Mundy returned his own smile too. A challenge to an endless game of teasing. 

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "I got two little buggars to watch over and another on its way. Ain't got time to sit down and watch the boob box. Especially since Ma and Pa are out working a lot these days. I gotta step up and do most of the housekeeping myself." 

Mundy nodded his head a bit in understanding. "What about Thomas? Where's he gandering off to these days?" He asked.

The woman sighed deeply and rubbed her face with the free hand. She gently set the girl down from her hip, watching as she frolicked over to Fleur. A smile on her face while the little one brought yard flowers and tucked them in the side of his mask. "Well, he's been busting his rear with deliveries. Since we aren't a big farm, all our orders are mainly to small buyers. I daresay he spends about as much money in gas as they spend for the wool. We're getting by. Barely." 

A solemn look came over Mundy's features. He glanced over at the little girl, who by this time had wildflowers sticking out of every opening in Fleur's clothes. The Spy even sneezed from all the loose pollen, and both of them laughed in unison like pure-hearted children. "I know Addie ain't close enough to be thinking about college, but...what about Arnold? Ain't he bout ready to get out of high school?" The Sniper asked.

The woman nodded her head again. The two playing together on the side provided her with a bit of joy despite the storm swirling in her head. "We'll talk more about it later. It's just good to have you back, brother." She trapped Mundy in a warm embrace, of which he promptly returned. The two stood there in the heat of the sun for several minutes. Neither of them daring to let the other go. 

Once they finally parted, Addie wobbled over while pointing at Fleur. "He is my new bestest friend now!" She chimed.

"Oh, that right? Do you know his name?" Mundy asked.

Addie shook her head. 

"His name's Fleur." Mundy put his arm around the pollen infested man. "And he's Deaf. Do you know what that means?"

"It means he can't see!" Addie answered with all confidence. 

That earned a chuckle from everyone. Fleur glanced from one to the other in curiosity of what they were saying. Then Mundy waved for his attention and began to sign. _"That little girl is my niece, Addie. And the woman is my sister, Niki."_

Fleur nodded and waved at the two females. A smile of adoration sat on Niki's features while Addie stood in wide-mouthed shock. "You did the hand talkie thingie!" She said while pointing vigorously at the two.

"We did! It's called ASL. We have to talk to Fleur like that because he can't hear. Deaf means he can't hear you." Mundy explained. Addie's eyes seemed to pop with pure excitement. She waltzed over and tugged at Fleur's hand. He slowly crouched to her height to see what she wanted. Suddenly she yelled a bold, "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW!?" Right into his ear. Fleur began laughing uncontrollably. Snorting like a hog as her breath did nothing more than tickle his skin. 

"Addie, that's rude!" Niki tugged the child over and lightly smacked her cheek. But Fleur was the first person to assure her that it was fine. He understood that kids did silly things perhaps better than anyone else at the house. The sister let out a relieved sigh. She ushered the two inside the open door with a smooth motion. 

Despite their lack of economic abundance, the house reflected a spirit of comfort and satisfaction. Every bit of furniture and decoration dusted down to the last bunny. The couches and chairs were well taken care of. The TV, though small, was dusted and adorned with knick knacks. Even the piano in the far corner sat open and perfectly tuned. Pictures of the family dressed the walls and shelves, along with many nifty crafts that they had made over the years. Nothing said poor, lazy, or unkempt. It felt relaxed. It felt clean. It felt like a proud home. 

Fleur followed along as Addie showed him the main family picture. The one that sat in the brightest frame, up and center over the fireplace. "Uncle Mundy! How do I tell him about the peoples in this picture with the hand talkie thingie?" She asked. 

Mundy walked her through the signs of each family member, telling Fleur their names and relations as the lesson went. All he could do was grin as they explained the tree to him. How the grandparents were proud to be the parents of a beautiful daughter, who in turn had two gorgeous twins of her own. One of which decided to turn to the path of the mercenary, while the other went on to become a loving homemaker and mother to future generations.

"And here's a fun little lesson for ya," Mundy signed and spoke at the same time, "You know the original 9 mercenaries hired by Mann Co.? My great grandfather was the Sniper. Mister Mick Mundy! He found himself a beautiful wife. Grandpa was their son. He was offered a job as a mercenary, but decided not to. He wanted the family to settle down and be a whole row of down to earth farmer folk. And it's stayed that way, but I guess I screwed it up a little, didn't I?" He chuckled. "You could have been a Merc too. If ya wanted to, Niki." He nodded his head to the woman standing in the doorway.

She shook her head and swept a rebellious hair out of her eyes. "Not a chance. Speaking of which, it might be best not to mention the mercenary business around grandpa or Thomas. You know how much they hate it."

"Right. When’s that Thomas of yours gonna be home?” 

But right as Niki went to open her mouth, an old car horn sounded. Signalling the man’s arrival.


End file.
